The Estrella
by Sorrelwing
Summary: Sequel to The Outcast. When Jewel catches a rare disease, everyone is terrified when they realize that it is incurable - but a long-forgotten myth could be the only thing that can save her. While Bia, Carla, Tiago and their closest friends embark on a perilous quest to find the cure, things take a turn for the worse back home - and not just where Jewel's illness is concerned.
1. A dream

_**At long last, it's here - the sequel to 'The Outcast'! Whoo-hoo! You're probably wondering why it's called 'The Estrella' - 'Estrella' means 'star' in Spanish, and the reason why it is the title will become clear as the story progresses. **_

_**A few months after 'The Outcast', the burned rainforest has grown back and is restored to its former glory. Bia and Azure are as close as ever, their love growing with each passing day. Tiago and Orchid's relationship is growing stronger too, and Carla and Bruno (who are still not in a formal relationship) are getting closer - unfortunately, life isn't always perfect, when two threats emerge to tear things apart.**_

_**Love, Sorrel**_

Jewel sat up, blinking at the sights around her. This certainly wasn't home; the last thing she remembered was settling into her down-filled nest, under Blu's wing, and calling goodnight to her three teenaged kids, Bia, Carla, and Tiago. The tree trunk walls, decorated with climbing plants and flowers, had been replaced by flowery branches that had a sweet, dainty scent. She was perched upon a moss-covered branch, and the flowered branches had small, red fruit hanging from them. The fruit looked juicy, and she was tempted to pick one, but then Jewel heard a voice - one she hadn't heard in over nineteen years.

Tears came flooding into Jewel's eyes as she turned around, finding herself gazing at the first face she ever remembered seeing. She had been a hatchling, and had opened her eyes, and found herself looking up at her mother. Jewel's mother, named Tia, had been soft-spoken, kind, and her smile had always been warm and filled with love. Tia had a striking resemblance to Jewel; the same head feathers and turquoise eyes, only her feathers had been rather dark. Now, standing in front of her, Tia looked the exact same, only with a few tiny speckles of light woven through her feathers. She had had the most beautiful singing voice, and Jewel remembered every lullaby she sang. _But mom's dead… if she's here, does that mean I'm…?_

"Don't worry, you're dreaming." Tia assured her. Without a word, Jewel rushed up to her mother, flinging her wings around her.

"I've missed you, mom." Jewel whispered, tears a mixture of both joy and grief trickling from her eyes.

"I've missed you too, darling." Tia replied, her voice full of love and sadness at the same time. Jewel pulled away from her mother, staring upwards, while Tia held her face with her wingtips.

"I… I can't believe you're here!" Jewel exclaimed, eyes shining like a pair of turquoise stars. "I haven't seen you in years! Do - do you see everything that happens to the tribe? I've got a mate and three kids, mom!"

"I know - Blu, and then there are those cute little balls of fluff." Tia was crooning. "They're all so beautiful - Bia's so smart, Carla's so talented, and Tiago's just a little bundle of mischief. But that's not why I'm here." Tia's voice turned serious, and Jewel could also hear fear. The fear was also present in her eyes.

"It's not?" Jewel asked, blinking up at her mother. "Then… why are you here?"

"We're here to warn you." Tia answered.

"What do you mean, to warn -" Jewel then stopped speaking, confused. "Wait, who's we?"

"Who do you think?" said a new voice. Jewel turned, and gasped. A young, female Scarlet macaw, with dark brown eyes and a short, spiky collection of head feathers.

"_Adelaide?" _Jewel asked, incredulously. Adelaide bounced forward, giving Jewel a hug.

"Look at you! You look beautiful!" Adelaide exclaimed. Jewel remembered Adelaide's last few moments as clear as day - dying in Jewel's wings, after some branches gave her fatal injuries. It had happened when they were both less than a year old, during the fire that had torn Jewel from her family for nineteen years. Adelaide had been the childhood sweetheart and first love of the Scarlet macaw tribe's leader, Felipe. Unlike all those years ago, Adelaide was now smiling. Jewel found it hard to believe that she had once despised Adelaide.

"Come on, Adelaide -" Tia said gently. "We haven't got much time."

"Oh, right." Adelaide sighed, before the playful look in her eyes vanished. "Jewel, something is coming - a danger."

"A danger?" Jewel echoed. She crossed her wings in frustration. "Fantastic. Who is it this time? Humans? Nigel and the what's-her-name frog? I'm _sick _of that cockatoo - revenge, honestly! He won't give up - how mature."

"It's neither of those." Said Tia, and Jewel felt a wave of surprise. Tia and Adelaide exchanged dark looks. "There are _two _threats coming to you - and we're terrified that you won't survive either of these threats." It took a few moments for these words to sink in, before Jewel finally found words.

"_What?"_ Jewel whispered, her eyes widening in shock and fear. "No! You - you can't be serious! After all I've been through? Do you know how many times I've almost died in my life? T-there was the fire, the smugglers, that fall to the sea, and-"

"Sssh." Adelaide soothed. "We know, Jewel. These two threats will come, and we must warn you to be strong and do whatever it takes to survive - no matter how much pain you go through."

"You haven't even told me what these threats _are!"_ wailed Jewel, throwing up her wings in frustration, but then the dream began fading very fast. Adelaide and Tia's voices faded, replaced by another. She let out a squawk, her eyes flying open. A pair of wings was shaking her, and a familiar voice was calling her name.

"Jewel! Wake up, you're having a nightmare!" Jewel whipped around, and came face-to-face with Blu, breathing rapidly. Her beloved mate looked worried and alarmed. His dark blue feathers were on end, and the three little feathers on the back of his head were fluffed up. His hazel eyes were full of tension, rare for someone like him. "You were squawking and writhing in your nest - are you okay?" Jewel looked around, her heart beginning to slow down as she looked at the familiar walls of her home. Warm, honey-golden sunlight was streaming in, shining in a blue sky that was dotted with white clouds. She could hear the spray of the waterfall, and hear the excited whoops of chicks as they went water-skiing on the giant Amazon water lilies that scattered the surface of the plunge pool.

"I-I… I'm okay… I'm fine." Jewel stammered, before sinking to the floor. "It was just… a bad dream." Blu wasn't fooled, however, and sat down beside her, wrapping a wing around her. Comforted by Blu's gesture, Jewel pressed against him, closing her eyes, beginning to calm down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Blu asked quietly. Jewel briefly considered telling him about Adelaide and Tia's warning, but then she decided not to. She didn't want to worry him, and besides, it was probably nothing. Probably just a dream to scare her - they probably hadn't been the actual Tia and Adelaide, but a figment of her imagination. _But it was so real… it was as if I was actually awake, seeing them alive. _Was there a possibility that it was really Tia and Adelaide, coming down to warn her of a genuine threat? What threat could there possibly be? The area was protected from logging, now - ever since that incident almost a year ago, a sanctuary had been put up by the two humans, Linda and Tulio, to keep this part of the Amazon safe.

"No, it's okay. I was just… no, it doesn't matter." Desperate to forget about her dream, Jewel decided to change the subject. "You're up early, Blu." She commented, looking up at the pocket watch Blu had, hanging up on the wall. It was half past six in the morning, which was incredibly early for her mate. Blu usually woke up in the noon, six hours later than when she woke up. Jewel, a wild-born macaw, had always been an early riser, waking up at dawn - while in contrast, being a pet for the majority of his life, Blu wasn't used to waking up early.

"Well, your father doesn't really appreciate me sleeping in late - and besides, Tiago and Orchid will go wake me with a tarantula if I sleep for too long." At Blu's words, Jewel let out a laugh, the fear of her dream fading.

"Good for you, sweetie - it's about time you woke up earlier - speaking of our son, where are the kids?"

"They went out to the mango trees." Blu replied. "Azure, Orchid, Bruno, and the rest all went out with them. Eduardo went to talk to the leader of the Blue-and-Gold macaw tribe, Johanna, about a section of territory. Mimi's in her spot -" by this, Blu meant the little hollowed rock that Mimi napped in, with flowers and fruit over her eyes. "- and Roberto and Sophia are outside, about to go and meet up with Felipe and Azalea - they invited us along. Do you want to come with?"

"Sure." Jewel shrugged. At the mention the two Scarlet macaws, she remembered Adelaide. While Adelaide had been Felipe's first love, Azalea - the Red tribe's score marker - was Adelaide's cousin. She was also now the mate of Felipe. Neither of them knew about Jewel being there when Adelaide died - and Jewel didn't want them to know. There was no point in causing them the agony of remembering Adelaide's demise.

"Great - I'll be waiting with them outside, just come out when you're ready." Blu kissed her on the cheek, before heading outside. Their voices floated into the nest. "She'll be out in a minute, Roberto, Sophia."

"Sure, Blu - it's unlike you to be up early!" Roberto remarked, brightly. "It's a good thing!" while the three macaws outside went into conversation, Jewel got to her feet, and began smoothing out her feathers. She teased out some scraps of moss, strewn in her feathers from sleep, before rubbing her eyes. _Two threats. Of course, it must have just been my imagination. _

"Hey, Jewel! Ready?" Sophia called.

"Coming!" Jewel replied, turning around and walking toward the entrance. She then let out a yelp as a shooting pain went through her foot. Jewel's foot hung in the air, and she clenched her beak. A kind of Amazon thorn was lying on the floor, and she had just trod on it. A small cut had opened up on the bottom of one of her talons. Cursing under her breath, Jewel watched a tiny droplet of blood drip onto the floor on the nest. Hearing her yelp, Blu looked over his shoulder.

"You okay, honey?" he called.

"I'm fine!" she answered, shaking her foot slightly. "I just trod on a thorn." Jewel, limping a bit, hopped forward, up some roots, and stood in the entrance of the hollow. The three macaws were waiting patiently for her.

"Sleeping beauty rises!" Roberto teased. When Blu gave him a look, Roberto and Sophia both laughed. Sophia didn't look bothered by her mate's words - she understood that Roberto and Jewel were just childhood friends, and no more. "Just kidding, honestly, buddy, don't worry - morning, Ju-Ju." Blu looked more relaxed, then - Jewel had a feeling that Blu felt a bit threatened by Roberto, from his ceaseless talent and good looks. A year on, and he was still wasn't one hundred percent content.

"Morning, Roberto, Sophia." Jewel gave both Roberto and Sophia a friendly smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yes!" Sophia said excitedly. "Let's go, I haven't seen Felipe and Azalea for ages!" Roberto and Sophia then turned, before flying out toward the exit of the ravine, chattering excitedly. Blu turned to her.

"Coming?"

"Of course, of course." Jewel flapped her wings, and within seconds, Blu and Jewel were following Roberto and Sophia out of the ravine. Jewel's foot still stung a little from stepping on the thorn, and she kept looking down at it in irritancy. She'd probably have a little scab under her talon for a few days, since the thorn had been rather sharp. As they flew into the rainforest, she kept thinking of Tia and Adelaide's warning. _Two threats. What could they be? _Jewel shook it off. _You're worrying about nothing… _but then she heard a voice in her head. _Are you? _

_**Don't worry, Bia, Azure, and the others will be in the next chapters. Please leave reviews, and remember to click the follow or favourite button! Thank you! **_

_**(To who have not read my Rio prequels) If you want to learn more about Adelaide, Azalea, and their connection to Felipe, please read 'All of My Heart'. If you want to learn about Jewel's mother, Tia, please read 'Before Jewel Met Blu'. It makes things much easier to understand for you.**_

_**All characters that are not featured in either Rio or Rio 2 (i.e: Sophia, Azure, Isaac, Bromeliad, Orchid, Azalea, Adelaide, Tia, etc.) are fan made by me, and solely mine.**_


	2. To the future

_Brula_

A Kapok tree grew, in a spot sitting between the border of the Spix's and the Blue-and-Gold's tribes. It was so old, most of the tree trunk was hollowed out through time. This provided the perfect place to house a samba club. Sitting on a ledge above the entrance, there was a smooth piece of wood. Rough words were carved into it, reading: 'Bem-vindo ao Paraíso', which translated into 'Welcome to Paradise'. Nico and Pedro owned their samba club back in Rio, so Carla had decided to make her own in the Amazon, with more music than just samba. It had only been open for a few weeks, but it was already a huge hit with the tribes and locals. Inside the Kapok tree, the place was alive with music and colour.

Near the higher part of the hollowed-tree, pieces of multi-coloured glass hung. Sunlight streamed in through holes in the trunk, hitting the glass perfectly and sending dazzling colours slashing through the air, colouring the inside of the Kapok tree. Bia had helped Carla put it together, for she knew how to get the glass in the right places. The glass had been recovered from Manaus, since it was the closest city. Various pieces of thin vine tendrils attached them to the ceiling, tied tightly around a strong climbing plant. Flowers and pretty plants grew around the walls.

The sea of dancing birds was multicoloured. Some were macaws of multiple species. The rest consisted of Amazons, cardinals, parakeets, hummingbirds, and countless others. Several birds were hitting various objects; sonorous metals (metals that made a sound when struck, according to Bia) recovered from Manaus, and drums and all series of instruments made from things found in the Jungle. These instruments made the sounds, while there was a singer to sing the lyrics. The singer varied, since the Amazon was full of talent; Carla's own tribe members had sung too, including Roberto, Sophia, Jewel and many others. Today, it was the club owner's turn - Carla's turn to sing, helped by her 'friend', Bruno.

Bruno had the most peculiar set of head feathers, maybe even more unique than that of Roberto and his sons. According to Blu, who knew more about humans than he did flying, Bruno's head feathers resembled that of a human with a so-called 'mohawk' hair style. Bruno had bright, electric-blue feathers with friendly, umber-brown eyes. No one was quite sure why Carla hadn't become Bruno's girlfriend yet - it was clear that there was an attraction, but it had been going on for months now. Why they didn't get on with it, some would ask. Carla was secretive - she had kept her first relationship in the dark from Blu and Jewel, until it was discovered after it crashed and burned. Carla's ex-boyfriend was named Augustus, but their relationship had ended abruptly following his attempt to gain popularity. Carla had only been gone for a few minutes, when she heard him, rather reluctantly, admit that she was 'fat' to a pair of popular teens. Augustus had regretted what he did, but while Carla had somewhat forgiven him, there was no chance that they would ever get back together.

"Hey, guys!" Carla bounced onto the 'stage', a pile of branches at the front. Cheers of admiration rang out, along with a few whistles. She blushed, and then she spotted Bruno, before she beckoned him upstage. Grinning at Bruno, Carla turned to the audience. "Ready for some music?" she asked, which they replied to with whoops. "Okay - hit it!" she turned to the birds dotted around the room, and they began hitting the instruments, forming the tune of a human song she had taught them. _Let's hope these guys like 'Boom Clap', _Carla thought. 'Boom Clap' was probably her favourite song at the moment. Carla began singing, joined by Bruno.

Carla knew that Bruno really liked her, and he had asked her to be his girlfriend several times, but she had declined casually by changing the subject or pretending not to hear. Carla really did like Bruno, but, honestly, she didn't want to get hurt again. She knew that Bruno felt hurt himself by her vague response, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth as to why she was hesitant when it came to a relationship. Maybe she'd convince herself to tell him one day soon, but something was preventing her. Would he be upset, knowing that she didn't entirely trust him not the break her heart? Maybe he was better off not knowing the truth. Carla fought with her inner conflict every night, wondering: if she couldn't trust Bruno, of all macaws, could she ever trust anyone with her heart again?

_Tiachid_

"You're absolutely positive that your great-aunt won't kill us for this, right?" Orchid asked, keeping watch to make sure that Mimi wouldn't come back.

"Come on, she can take a joke." Tiago argued, crushing the berries and squeezing the juice into the bowl-like piece of wood that contained some mud. Mimi had put down the mud here, before going to find something to put over her eyes - leaving the mud out, accessible to Tiago and Orchid. Mimi always had a nap at precisely noon – her 'pampering hour'. She would lay there in the shade, in that little hollow in the side of the cliff, with little flowers or fruit over her eyes, and a layer of mud over her face. Neither Tiago nor Orchid could see how having mud over one's face could ever be relaxing. The kind of berries they were putting in this mixture could make a temporary dye, which was a little difficult to wash out. Hopefully, if all went to plan, Mimi's face would turn a shade of purple within the next hour. Also, they had to hope that she wouldn't be too mad. When Mimi and Eduardo were kids, Eduardo had been picked on by an older chick, and Mimi was said to have slapped the one who did it.

"Hurry up!" whispered Orchid suddenly. "She's coming back!"

"Uh-oh." muttered Tiago, throwing the final drop of fruit juice into the bowl of mud. They barely had time to hide the remaining berries and themselves before Mimi came back. They concealed themselves behind some rocks, peering out and watching Mimi. The plump, older female sat down, and she began covering her face in a layer of mud. The mud seemed to have tinted a slight purplish-brown, but Mimi hadn't noticed. Tiago and Orchid exchanged glances, trying not to laugh out loud. With a yawn, Mimi walked up to her 'spot', plonking herself down and almost immediately beginning to snore.

"So, how long does the dying process take?" Orchid asked, squinting up at the sun.

"Shouldn't take long." Tiago replied. "I tested a moulted feather beforehand -that took just over ten minutes to dye properly, but since Mimi sleeps for an hour, it'll be well and truly purple by the time she gets rid of that mud…"

_An hour later_

After having been flying over the Amazon River, Tiago and Orchid returned to the ravine only to be greeted by an ear-splitting scream, which they recognised as Mimi's. Everyone around them jumped, their wings covering their ears. Orchid bit her lower beak, looking at Tiago. "Sounds like Mimi just woke up." They rushed over toward the source of the sound, and eventually found Mimi staring into a puddle, looking horrified. The once-blue feathers of her face were dyed a violent shade of purple-pink. Behind her, Blu and Jewel, and Sophia and Roberto were trying to look unamused - and failing. Blu was covering his beak, Jewel was turned away with her beak twisted into a grin she was trying to suppress, Sophia was covering her face, and Roberto's beak was clenched shut to stop him laughing. Even Eduardo, who rarely found things funny, was fighting against a smile as he looked at his older sister.

"Well, Mimi." He said, casting his eyes toward the sky so he wasn't looking at Mimi's purple face. "What happened to _you?"_

"What do you think?" Mimi asked sarcastically, seething when she saw how much they were trying not to laugh. "My_ face! _I just washed the mud off, and look what happened!" Mimi was now frantically washing her face in a puddle. Behind her, Sophia let out a giggle, and when Mimi whirled round, she quickly broke into a fit of coughs to disguise it. While Mimi began frantically washing the berry juice out, she was looking around, searching for any clue that could lead to an explanation. The moment she saw her great-nephew, she would surely suss it, but they were hidden in the foliage. Meanwhile, Sophia and Roberto's beaks were open in soundless laughter - Roberto was clutching his stomach, one wing against a tree trunk, while Sophia was doubled over, trying not to laugh out loud.

"They are so _mature." _Orchid snorted. "Honestly, they act like teenagers…"

_Later_

Luckily, the berry-juice dye had come out after Mimi had washed her face for around twenty minutes. There was still a hint of lilac about her face, but that would come out soon enough. No-one suspected Tiago and Orchid - well, at least not accused them out loud.

After saying goodnight to Orchid, Tiago had headed back home, exhausted from his day. He had said goodnight to his family and friends, and innocently said goodnight to Mimi, who was still flustered from the events earlier in the day. "Hey, mom, dad, sisters." He said as he entered the hollow, yawning.

"Hey, son." Blu called out. Remembering that his mom and dad had joined Roberto and Sophia in visiting Felipe and Azalea, he decided to find out how that went.

"So, how was Felipe and Azalea?" Tiago inquired.

"Oh, they were fine -" Jewel answered, from where she was attempting to yank a sharp-looking thorn from the wall."There's some brilliant news for them, actually, they've had two -" But Jewel was then distracted by the difficulty of extracting the plant from its stubborn grip on the wall. "This - stupid - thorn -" she hissed, there was then a loud snap, and Jewel was sent flying as the thorn was unexpectedly ripped away. Tiago's mother landed in a heap, grumbling in embarrassment as Blu rushed over to help her to her feet. Tiago couldn't help but laugh at how Jewel had been sent flying by simply tugging a stubborn thorn from the wall. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She insisted, brushing him off.

"Are you sure? Look at your foot!" Blu indicated toward Jewel's talon, and it was then that Tiago noticed that there was a small, yet noticeable cut.

"Oh, that was from earlier on - that's why I decided to get rid of the thorn." Jewel put her foot down, hiding the small wound. "Sweetheart, don't worry about it - it'll be gone in a matter of days." Blu still looked a little hesitant, but then he nodded.

"Okay, okay." He said. "I'm sorry, I worry too much, especially after what we found today."

"What did you find today?" said a new voice, from above. Tiago looked up, to see a small figure several metres above, peering out of her room entrance. Carla, whose room was around a metre below, was also poking her head out of her room, green eyes curious. "You never mentioned anything when we came in."

"It was nothing to worry about," Blu answered. "Some…. some really weird, sick-looking bird approached us earlier, coughing up something… it's nothing to be worried about. But I think we should tell Eduardo tomorrow."

"That's a good idea." Jewel agreed. While his parents started talking, Tiago found himself feeling tired. It had been a long day, and he and Orchid had plans for the day's activities.

"Good night." He said, cheerfully, before flapping his wings, flying up toward his own room.

_Azia_

With a sigh, Bia sat down in her nest, and took off her moonstone necklace. She and her siblings had gotten one each for their birthdays, a few months ago; Blu and Jewel had gone to Manaus, and gotten human bracelets that were the perfect size for macaw necklaces. Bia had moonstone, Carla had emerald, and Tiago had amber with a little insect frozen inside.

Bia heard her family calling goodnight, and she returned it, before sitting down in her nest. Before she could begin to go sleep, however, she heard a voice. "Hey, Beatriz." Bia smiled to herself, and got up, heading for the other exit to her room. This one was a gap in the room wall, covered by a moss curtain, but it was also an exit to outside. When she put the moss aside, she found herself looking up at Azure.

The youngest son of Roberto and Sophia, he was only a few months younger than herself, but he was much taller. Like his sisters and mother, Azure had the slightest tint of periwinkle to his blue, rather fluffy feathers, only the tint was less prominent. But, like Roberto and Isaac, Azure shared the crest feathers. Azure seemed to have more of them than his father and brother, shorter and more numerous. His ones fell more gently, while Roberto and Isaac's flicked out more. Azure did look a bit like Roberto, but his beak shape was different - more curved, rather like her own.

Azure also had a thin scar on his wing - stretching over the radius bone. That had been a souvenir from the fire that had occurred a few months before. Bia preferred not to think about that fire, where she had almost died going back for Azure. She still had nightmares about it.

"Hi," Bia whispered, gazing up at Azure. "What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?"

"Midnight, I know - but I wanted to see you." He flashed a smile. "Are you tired?"

"Not really - why, a fly-about?" Bia felt a warm, inviting breeze ruffle their feathers, and she yearned to stretch her wings and fly on the warm drafts of night air.

"If you're up for it." Azure nodded, looking up at the starry sky. Feeling a surge of excitement, Bia opened her wings, and soared up into the air. When she looked back, she could see Azure following her. The stars were luminous and the moon was large and full, casting a silver glow upon whatever they touched.

Bia knew that 'young love' could be a little cliché, but she had fallen for Azure a long time ago. She loved him, and he felt the exact same way. When she was with him, she felt whole. Content. Peaceful. Safe. Her heart felt warm, and it flickered like a butterfly's wings. If he had died on that day, in that fire, she would never be the same again. The only conclusion was love.

There were several glowing things below, which Bia could identify as fireflies. She knew that the shedding of light by living organisms was known as 'bioluminescence' - she had an entire book for wildlife all over South America. "Hey, watch this." Spotting a mass of them in some branches, Bia folded her wings, diving into the leaves. There was the furious beating of tiny wings as the fireflies swarmed up. Bia flew back up, beside Azure, watching the fireflies emerging. They looked like tiny floating lanterns, before they resettled in the leaves.

"Stunning." Azure declared, before they lighted down on the branch of a ceiba tree, watching the fireflies. Bia sat down, her legs hanging off the side off the branch, before she settled herself under Azure's wing. She looked at the scar again, feeling regretful that she hadn't reached him faster. Maybe if she had noticed him disappearing, she could've found him quicker and spared him of a scar. Azure followed her gaze, and sighed, as if reading her mind. They had this conversation practically every time they saw one another. "It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have been separated from the group."

"I feel guilty, though." Bia admitted, running a wing-tip over the parting of the feathers. "You're so young, and you've got a scar already."

"It doesn't really bother me." Azure was lying - it did bother him. But he cared about Bia more than a silly scar. It wasn't her fault - even if she'd gotten to him quicker, a scar was inevitable. The wound had been what had slowed him down, separated him from the group in the first place.Azure, not wanting to remember how he had gotten the wound, shook it off. _Forget about it. So what if I've got a scar? It's not even that noticeable. All I care about is her. _To reassure Bia that he didn't blame her, Azure leaned down, and gave her a kiss. "The fire was months ago, Bia." He said, pulling away. "It's time to move on. Nothing bad can happen now."

"I guess you're right." Bia admitted. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a piece of fruit. She rose to her feet, plucking the fruit, before sitting back down and tearing it in half. She handed a half to Azure, and kept the other. "To the future." She declared, holding up her fruit piece. Azure chuckled, holding up his fruit, tapping it against her piece.

"To the future."

_**Originally (before I paused and edited this story) each couple had their own chapter. However, all three were cut down and squeezed into one, because I had too many chapters overall for the 'time point' of the story. Might also explain why this chapter isn't my best, as I had to cut out a lot of parts. Do you like the shipping headings for each couple's part? Cute. **_


	3. Unease

_**I was wrong; turns out I do have some time for a few more chapters before 2015.**_

_**From now on, I'm keeping most OCs out, unless they're major. The minor OCs from the Outcast (for example, let's say Andrea, Augustus, the minor friends and the parents of the other kids) will be kept to a minimum in order not to make things confusing. I should've thought about that in The Outcast, but I didn't until it was too late. From now, the only OCs will really be the main ones (Sophia, Isaac, Bromeliad, Azure, Orchid, Bruno, Azalea, Johanna). Johanna was mentioned in chapter 1, and she's pretty much the only new main OC. She'll play a larger part later on. As for Tia and Adelaide, their parts will be more minor - I'm doing that on purpose, not forgetting about them.**_

_**I'll occasionally mention or show the minor ones, but I won't give them a big part. I'd like to prevent anyone being left out, a frequent issue in books I've read.**_

_**Now, we'll launch into the main plot from this chapter.**_

"Be back later, I'm going out with Sophia." Jewel called over her shoulder as she left the nest. "We'll be at the strawberry guava grove!"

"Okay." she was replied with Bia's voice. Carla was at her club (it was open three days a week, she didn't want to spent the majority of her time there), and Bia was still in bed - she said that she hadn't slept much last night, and that was the case with Azure, too. Jewel suspected that the two had gone out together in the night - she didn't blame them. The night had been clear and this time of year was when fireflies lit up the jungle, so they couldn't have missed a beautiful night. Jewel had watched them from the nest, listening to her mate's snores and seeing the little lights in the air. Blu, Roberto and Eduardo had gone on a patrol. Tiago, meanwhile, had gone to find a tourist boat, so that he could speak to Pedro, Nico, Rafael, and Luiz on the phone.

They did that often - boat trips from Manaus, filled with tourists, always meant that there was a phone available. This was how they kept contact over Autumn, Winter and Spring - the three party birds had learned how to use an old phone (Luiz didn't answer it, he just spoke into it. Being a bulldog with clumsy paws, couldn't press the answer button - not to mention he'd probably break it with his drooling), and Jewel and her family had the number memorized. Whenever the macaws wanted to give them a call, they'd hide somewhere on a touring boat, steal a tourist's phone, and talk to the four that way. Afterwards, they'd just slip the phone back into the tourist's pocket or bag before flying away, unseen.

Before she went, Jewel decided to see if the dye had finally come out of Mimi's feathers. She, personally, highly suspected Tiago and Orchid, but Mimi would be rather annoyed if she found out it was them. The Spix's macaw headed over to Mimi's tree, which was heavily flowered and carried a pungent smell of pollen and flowers. Mimi didn't seem to mind, but it could be overwhelming to anyone else. Jewel wasn't much bothered by it, but most others were. "Hey, Aunt Mimi - has the dye come out?" Jewel was now standing in the entrance to the tree, waiting for her aunt's appearance.

"Thankfully, it has!" exclaimed the familiar voice, and Jewel was relieved to see that Mimi's face was back to normal. "And I still can't figure out for the life of me who did it."

"Well, at least it's out." Jewel sighed, although she personally thought that it was obvious who did it. "Okay, I'm going out with Sophia - bye, Mimi."

"Bye, my little wildflower!" Mimi replied cheerfully, before turning to her breakfast, an assortment of exotic fruit. Jewel smiled at her aunt, before flying off in direction of the ravine exit. Sophia, and to Jewel's surprise, Bromeliad, were waiting for her.

"Hi, Jewel!" Sophia waved as she approached. "Bromeliad's coming with us - she had nothing to do today. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course!" Jewel assured her, giving Sophia's eldest daughter a friendly smile. _How hard to believe, I wanted to wring that girl's neck a few months back, after what happened with Bia. _Jewel and Sophia flew a few feet behind Bromeliad, talking away.

_Meanwhile_

"Doesn't look like the Hyacinths have tried to move the border again," Roberto reported, finding the marker that defined this as a border. The marker was a light blue plant paint; the light blue representing Spix's. The Hyacinths, being so determined to keep to their own territory, had devised the idea originally. Light blue represented the end of the Spix's macaw territory, while dark blue represented the beginning of Hyacinth. From here, Roberto could make out a dark blue streak on the next tree. The marking was known to everyone, so that they knew which tree to look at.

"Excellent." Eduardo nodded in approval. The border marking idea was now only with the Hyacinths - the other tribes now existed harmoniously and in peace, going wherever they pleased. The Hyacinths still wanted to keep the border marker. He turned around, to see his son-in-law eating a piece of mango, while gazing into a tree with a tired expression. "Hey, we're not here to snack." Eduardo reminded him, a hint of amusement at his voice. _It seems funny - I wanted to kill him almost a year ago, but now we're fine. _Blu jumped in surprise, not expecting Eduardo's voice.

"Sorry, Eduardo." Blu quickly threw the mango over his shoulder, in the process accidently hitting Roberto on the back of the head. "Oops - sorry!" he exclaimed.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Roberto shrugged, rolling his eyes in amusement, before sending the mango flying toward the ground with a powerful kick. "It's only mango, afterall."

"Alright,_ vamos." _Eduardo stretched his wings. "I'd like to leave this place before one of their patrols arrive and try to blame us for something."

"I've never actually met the Hyacinths before." Blu mentioned, as they flew back into the heart of the Spix's macaw territory. "What are they like? No-one sees them much." Roberto flipped onto his back, flying upside-down so that he could look at Blu.

"Hope you never do. When I was a kid, I arrived in the jungle for the first time - I hadn't been part of tribe then - and they were a bunch of numbskulls. I fell to the forest floor, and they just laughed. Yeah, that was them then - but they're worse now… much worse." Before Roberto could continue, however, the three males stopped flying, hovering instead at the sight before them.

A battered-looking, Orange-Winged Amazon was doubled over, coughing and gasping for breath. Blu and Roberto exchanged worried looks; that had been the bird they had run into the other day, when they had been with Jewel, Sophia, Felipe, and Azalea. His condition seemed to have gotten worse since then. The Orange-Winged Amazon was coughing up something red - Blu shivered. _Is he coughing up blood? _There seemed to be red patches around his eyes; did Orange-Winged Amazons have that? _Not last time I checked. _The bird looked emaciated and frail, as if he hadn't eaten for weeks on end, and his eyes were dull with exhaustion and agony. Occasionally, his coughing spotted, followed by vomiting. Eduardo, Roberto and Blu flinched in disgust. Blu started flying forward, but Eduardo put out a wing, stopping him from getting any closer.

"Blu, I wouldn't." he advised, and Blu reluctantly backed away. Eduardo then cleared his throat. "Sir… do you need help?"

"No." the Amazon replied in a gruff voice. He looked to be around Eduardo's age, not exactly young but then not old yet. "Mind your own flaming business, and get away from me -" the Amazon then burst into a fit of coughing, and Eduardo, Roberto and Blu sprang backwards as red droplets flew toward them. They looked at each other again, alarmed, keeping well away from the droplets that now stained some leaves.

"You don't look well, mate." Roberto said cautiously, but the Amazon scowled at him.

"Are you _deaf?_ I said mind your own business, and keep that stupid beak of yours out of mine." At the Amazon's reply, Roberto looked rather offended.

"Look, fellow, move along." Eduardo snapped, losing patience. His feathers were on end. "Don't insult my tribe members, move your lazy self out of here before I do it for you -"

"_Alright,"_ the Amazon retorted, coughing up more red drops again. He wiped his wing carelessly over his beak, unknowingly smearing the blood across his face. "I'll _go." _The Amazon staggered away, half flying, half-falling through the trees, muttering about something. Upon hearing one of his murmurs, Blu looked nervously at Eduardo and Roberto.

"I think I heard him muttering about the strawberry guava grove… isn't that where Jewel, Sophia and Bromeliad are today?"

"They are?" Roberto's head snapped up at the mention of the trio; two of them were his beloved mate and daughter, and he had known the other since he was a young teenager. Eduardo especially looked unsettled.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Eduardo muttered, before swiftly following the Amazon parrot. Blu and Roberto exchanged worried looks, before quickly flying after Eduardo. Before following, Blu picked the blood-spotted leaves, and flew down to a small stream, dropping them in. _If he's diseased, he's not spreading it anywhere. _Blu then flew up, after Roberto and Eduardo.


	4. Midnight talk

While Eduardo, Roberto and Blu were in pursuit of the alarmingly ill Orange-Winged Amazon, Sophia and Jewel continued gossiping while eating strawberry guavas. Bromeliad, having grown bored, decided to wander off and explore the group of trees. She didn't have much interest in finding a boyfriend, like so many girls she knew did - she was in no rush.

Orchid had Tiago, Azure had Bia, and Isaac was often seen flirting with girls - but Bromeliad brushed off comments from hopeful males. She'd meet the right one before beginning a relationship. Bromeliad still couldn't believe that Orchid had one before she did, however. _Who'd have thought it? My baby sister getting a boyfriend before I did. _

Orchid's hatching seemed like yesterday; her egg had hatched last, after a few tense days of waiting and hoping. Bromeliad had stayed up for ages, watching the unmoving egg and hoping for a little sister. She had been born first, Isaac second, and Azure third. She was a little older than her siblings, by almost a week - it had been a surprise when three more eggs had appeared in the nest. Listening to the two baby brothers bawling in the night had been annoying. What would a sister be like? A sister had been what she wanted, more than anything.

Three eggs laid at the same time, anyone would expect them to hatch within minutes of each other. Azure and Isaac's had hatched minutes apart; Isaac first, and then Azure came around three minutes later. However, Orchid's egg had been rather small, and Sophia and Roberto had been worried when there had been no signs of life after the hatching of Isaac and Azure. They had watched and waited for days, hoping and praying. Then, after almost a week of tension, the egg had moved slightly. Bromeliad had been so shocked, she had screamed for her parents. Roberto and Sophia had rushed in, followed by the clumsy steps of baby Isaac and Azure, before staring at the final egg. It had been true - the egg was hatching at last, and within minutes, Bromeliad had a baby sister named Orchid. It had been a joyous occasion, one of her fondest memories.

Since the fire a few months back, Bromeliad had really matured. She had once been rather snooty, criticizing Bia for her seemingly endless knowledge, but when Bia had saved her life by pulling her out of the path of some flaming, crashing branches, Bromeliad had felt so much gratitude. A few months on, she was now much more thoughtful and accepting of anyone. She had, however, inherited Sophia's feistiness and her spirit for things, and she could be sharp-tongued.

Bromeliad halted on a branch, some metres from the strawberry guava grove. A ripe, delicious-looking piece of passion fruit was dangling about her; her favourite fruit. Bromeliad proceeded to reach up and pluck it from its branch, but she then paused, upon hearing the rustle of leaves. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound, before her eyes landed on an Orange-Winged Amazon. Bia had once showed Bromeliad an image of one, in one her books. But this one looked far from the healthy one in the book. This one had heavy eye bags, he was alarmingly thin, with a red smear on his face and beak that Bromeliad hoped was simply fruit juice. His feathers were ragged and patchy, and she could see that some had fallen out. His eyes were bleak-looking, and he was shivering uncontrollably, like he was freezing. Bromeliad had never seen a sicker-looking creature.

"Sir?" Bromeliad asked, feeling a pang of pity. "Are you okay? You look a little…"

"_Unwell?"_ rasped the Amazon, looking up with enraged eyes. Bromeliad blinked in surprise, alarmed at the look of anger. _What's your problem? _She thought. _I'm trying to be nice. _The Amazon suddenly lurched, and red liquid flew from his beak, onto the branch between them. Shocked and alarmed, Bromeliad staggered backwards to avoid being touched by the blood.

"Well… yeah." Bromeliad's heart was beginning to go faster, as she saw the blood splattering onto the wood. The Amazon looked up, as if not noticing what had come out of his beak, continued scowling at her, as if she'd insulted him greatly.

"Why… of all… is everyone asking me how I am?" the Amazon was speaking in a slow, quiet voice, dangerously quiet. "First that idiot with the feathers on his head… now this thing."

"_Thing?" _repeated Bromeliad, her ocean blue eyes sparking with outrage. "What cheek!" she exclaimed. "How dare you, for your information, I'm not a _thing,_ I'm a Spix's macaw. And you have no right to -"

"Shut up, kid." Snarled the Amazon. "You're starting to annoy me. Keep your beak shut, or I'll shut it for you."

"You -" Bromeliad tried to find a scorching comment, but nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. With a squawk of fury, the Amazon threw out his wings, and launched himself at her with outstretched talons. Overwhelmed with shock, Bromeliad only just missed his slashing claws. She didn't have much fighting experience - and she wasn't touching this diseased bird. _"Mom!"_ Bromeliad screamed loudly, desperate to alert her mother as she tried to dodge his swipes. Back in the strawberry guava grove, Sophia's head whipped up at the shriek.

"Bromeliad!" she cried, dropping the strawberry guava in her talon, and racing toward the direction of her eldest daughter's scream. Jewel gasped, and launched herself into the air, after Sophia. Sophia, being a faster flier, got there first, and she, without a second thought, flung herself between Bromeliad and the infuriated Amazon.

"Get away from my daughter!" Sophia shouted, using her claws to swipe viciously at the Amazon's head. Bromeliad staggered back, scrabbling away from the fighting, and Jewel rushed up to her.

"Bromeliad, are you alright?" she demanded, and Bromeliad nodded shakily. Jewel whirled around, where Sophia was still trying to rip the Amazon apart. "Sophia!" she exclaimed. "Don't!" Jewel grabbed her friend, dragging her away, but Sophia put up a fight, straining against Jewel to get at the Amazon.

"I'll kill him!" Sophia declared, her temper flaring even more by Jewel's restraint. "I'll tear out his eyes and -"

"It won't make it better!" Jewel was trying to calm her. "Just see to Bromeliad -" suddenly, the Amazon lunged forward, squawking. Jewel, without thinking, shoved Sophia aside, before leaping up with extended claws. "Don't you dare!" Jewel's talons made contact with the Amazon, as she embedded her claws into his wing.

She had fought many times in her life - she could handle this. Jewel pulled fiercely at the Amazon's wing, keeping her grip secure so that she wouldn't go flying with the Amazon fighting back. That had happened a few years ago, and the result had been terrible. She still remembered being thrown against the plane wall by Nigel, the cage falling and crushing her wing. Jewel heard the Amazon screech as she pulled his wing, and she heard a click; she must have pulled the wing from the socket. Jewel began, viciously, tearing out talonfuls of green feathers, barely aware of a dark blue streak in the corner of her eye.

"Jewel, what are you doing?!" she felt talons fasten into her shoulders, heaving her back, while Eduardo flung himself onto the Amazon. She spun round, and found herself staring wildly into Blu's brown eyes. Upon seeing him, she calmed down, and stopped trying to attack the deranged Amazon. Eduardo's talons were aiming for the bird's throat.

"Eduardo, don't!" Blu then shouted. "He's sick, you might catch it!" at this, Eduardo stopped, and backed away. His green eyes burned fiercely; he wasn't letting this numbskull lay a claw on his only child. There was a whoosh of air as Roberto rushed past them, making a beeline for Sophia and Bromeliad.

"Are you both alright?" he asked frantically, scooping Sophia into a hug, and then Bromeliad.

"We're fine." Sophia muttered. "He was trying to attack Bromeliad, but then we…" Sophia wasn't allowed to finish, because they were distracted by the Amazon.

"Fools!" he hissed, glaring at his dislocated wing. He looked up at Jewel with bloodshot eyes. "You'll regret this, just you wait and see."

"I hope your wing hurts." Jewel hissed, spitting onto the branch between them.

"Get out." Snarled Eduardo, breathing heavily. "And don't come back, because if you do, I'll throw you into the middle of the river." The Amazon looked at them all, outnumbered - before clearly admitting defeat by stumbling away, into the branches, clutching his dislocated wing. As soon as the Amazon disappeared, she heard her mate's voice in her ear.

"Jewel, are you hurt?" Blu asked, looking fretful.

"I'm okay." Jewel eased herself out of his wings, stepping back; she then felt something wet under her talon, and looked down. She was standing on a small patch of blood, the talon on which she had trodden on that thorn with a few days back. "Ew." She groaned. Jewel quickly rushed down to the forest floor, sticking her talon into the stream, relieved when the traces of blood washed away. Jewel lighted back down on the branch, her heart beginning to resume to its normal pace.

"Thank goodness everyone's okay." Roberto sighed, where Sophia and Bromeliad were still locked in his embrace.

"Daddy, it's great that you love me and all, but would mind letting me go so that I can breathe?" Bromeliad squeaked, and Roberto immediately released her and Sophia, who continued hugging him.

"That was so horrible." Whispered Sophia into Roberto's ear. Jewel looked into the leaves, where the bird had vanished. She closed her eyes, wrapping her wings around her head to try and calm down. After a few moments, she felt Blu tugging at her wing.

"Jewel, we have to go… you need to be checked over, and he might come back."

_Midnight_

"So, you're telling us that you were attacked, for no reason whatsoever?" Isaac's blue-green eyes were wide with shock, mirroring that of everyone else's. Most of the tribe were sleeping peacefully in their hollows, but not all of them were so at ease - some of them were still awake, uneasy from the earlier incident. News spread like wildfire.

It was around midnight. It was dark, with a glass jar of fireflies in the middle of them providing light. Bromeliad, all her siblings, and Bia, Carla, Tiago, and Bruno were sitting around the light source in a circle, in a small, unused tree. They liked staying up late, and their parents didn't mind as long as it wasn't all night long.

Bromeliad had spent most of the day being examined by their team of healers. The healers were rather loose-knit, and weren't that organised, but due to the seriousness of today's incident, they had been more focused. Most tribes had one or two main healers, but their tribe didn't - just an unreliable group. Bia had shown interest in healing, and Bromeliad knew that Bia would love to become the tribe's main healer when she was older. This was a good thing - they needed someone who was focused and dedicated to their job. The healing team was just all over the place.

They had asked her many questions, and Bromeliad had insisted that she felt fine, that she hadn't contracted any infection or virus from the sick Amazon - but they had kept her under observation, just in case. Better safe than sorry. It had been nightfall before they had decided that she was fine. The same had gone for Sophia and Jewel, with the all-clear. They were all being kept an eye on, though.

"Yes." Bromeliad answered her brother."You should have seen mom - she went ballistic. She even tried to kill the guy, but Jewel stopped her before attacking him herself." Bromeliad turned to Bia, Carla, and Tiago. "Your mom was _amazing,_ honestly - she dislocated his wing."

"Really?" Carla's green eyes were round with awe. "Gee, I knew she was a good fighter, but I didn't know she was _that _good."

"You kidding?" Bruno looked at Carla, from where he sat next to her. "My mom and dad were friends with her, when she was younger - you know she fought back against the leader of the Red tribe? He was some guy called Rojo, back then, apparently - Felipe's dad. Real ugly brute, more like a Hyacinth in personality and size, according to mom and dad. He attacked Jewel for accidently crossing the border of the Brazil nut grove. She was only a foot or so in their side! She was a chick, just a new flyer, but she clawed him pretty good."

"Seriously?" Tiago exclaimed. "Our mom is _awesome!" _Azure nodded in agreement, before looking to his right, where Bia was leaning over open book. Her claws were running over the page, under each sentence, searching thoroughly. Her hazel eyes were piercing, scanning each word.

"Anything?" Azure asked, but Bia shook her head.

"No. It's so frustrating!" Bia slammed the book shut, shaking her head in frustration. "I've been looking up bird illnesses non-stop since Bromeliad described the symptoms, and _nothing. _This is the _complete_ book of bird diseases, and there's no such thing in it. Apparently such an illness Bromeliad described either doesn't exist, or is so rare it's not been discovered by humans." She sat down, sighing. Azure put a wing around her, and she leaned against him with a sigh.

"It's gotta be the latter." Orchid suggested, and there were murmurs of agreement from everyone.

"My question is, how did he get it in the first place, if it's so rare?" Isaac murmured, half to them, and half to himself.

"Poor guy must've been the unluckiest one in the entire Amazon." Bromeliad commented. "He was deranged - the illness had driven him mad. Either that or he had serious anger issues. Dad, Blu and Eduardo encountered him before I did, and apparently he was incredibly rude and short-tempered."

"Hmm." Azure was frowning, and looking through the index section of Bia's book.

"Anyway," Tiago said, after a few moments of silence, before leaning forward. "What's the news on the sick guy?"

"Well, last time I heard…" Bromeliad searched her memory. "He hasn't been seen since the incident today, but they're tracking him, and ensuring that he doesn't find his way here."

"Good." Sighed Bia. Her expression then turned serious and - to Bromeliad's alarm - slightly fearful. She looked Bromeliad up and down, as if expecting her to cough up blood like the Amazon had done. "Wait - how much contact did you have with the Amazon, Li?"

"Um… not much, I guess." Bromeliad shrugged. "I didn't touch him, I ducked his attacks. As for mom and Jewel… don't worry, they'll be fine. The healers looked us over, anyway, so they would've known if something was amiss." there was several moments of silence before anyone spoke again.

"Well…" Isaac rose to his feet. "It's getting late. Can we discuss this again tomorrow?"


	5. Morte Incomum

"You can never let anything go, can you?" mused Azure, following Bia. Other than her sweet nature, eruditeness and her beauty, that was one of things he loved most about Bia - she was determined, and she never gave up.

"Hey, it's getting on my nerves!" Bia protested. "I don't know, I just have a… bad feeling about the sick bird. He's been missing for days now, and I want to find out what's wrong with him. That's why we're doing this." They both lighted down at the entrance, which was littered with blue and yellow feathers. She took his wing from where they stood. "Ready?"

"Ready." Azure nodded, and they walked toward the cluster of leaves, where there was the sound of chatter and laughter. Azure pushed the leaves apart, and they both gasped. Bia and Azure had heard about the Blue-and-Gold macaw tribe's living area, but neither had imagined it looking so beautiful. Many, large trees that were practically bursting with vibrant colours that were flowers. Not entirely covered, like Mimi's tree - but balanced in with the leaves so that it wasn't too much. Orchids, passion flowers, bromeliads and hibiscus - it seemed as though every kind of Amazonian flower was here.

"Woah." Whispered Bia, in awe, reminded of her great-aunt's fondness for flowers. "I think that this is Mimi's idea of heaven." The Blue-and-Golds cherished colour, peace, and kindness, and they would provide help to anyone who needed it. They believed in acceptance, and from birth they were taught to be kind to everyone around them. They saw no requirement for borders - while they were in place, the Blue-and-Golds went where they pleased. Being the most harmonious tribe, they did accept rules of other tribes - not taking food from other territories, but they were by all means allowed to visit. Except by the Hyacinths, of course.

"You know these guys love flowers and all things pretty so much, that it's their body decoration for their special dance - males included?" Azure was turning in a circle, so that he could see everything. Blue-and-Gold macaws were looking down at them from the flowery trees, with friendly smiles and eyes.

"That's true." Said a silky voice, and they both turned to see a lovely-looking Blue-and-Gold macaw. She was, without doubt, the leader - Johanna. Bia was quite surprised; Johanna was said to have been leader for years, but she looked incredibly young - like Blu and Jewel's age. Her parents had retired early, so Johanna had taken on the responsibility from a young age.

Johanna had warm, green eyes, ones that reminded Bia of a rare plant she had once seen. Like all Blue-and-Golds, Johanna had a blue back, tail, wings, along with the back of her neck and head. The underside of her wings and tail, chest and belly were yellow; but there was something unique about the hues. Johanna seemed to have a slight tint of cream to the yellow feathers, something that neither Bia nor Azure had seen on a Blue-and-Gold. The top of her head was a pretty green that was darker than her eyes. She had white skin around her eyes and beak, with swirling black lines, and a black mark on her throat. Long, flowing feathers formed the ruffle on the back of her head, wavy and reaching the bottom of her neck. "You're Eduardo's granddaughter, aren't you? Bia?" Johanna smiled, extending her wing.

"That's right." Bia smiled back, shaking Johanna's wing. Johanna then turned to Azure.

"And I'm assuming one of Sophia's and Roberto's sons? Which one is it?"

"I'm Azure." Azure grinned, also shaking Johanna's wing.

"Welcome, both of you." Johanna nodded. After several moments, she tipped her head to the side. "So, why are you here?"

"We're here to ask a couple of questions." Bia replied. "Can we talk with you in private?"

"Of course." Johanna nodded. "Follow me." Bia and Azure then followed Johanna, across the trees. Johanna flew with confident wing strokes, making barely a sound as she flew into a vine-draped, flowery tree. "Please, do make yourself comfortable." Johanna indicated around the nest, which was decorated with flowers and plants, rather like Roberto and Sophia's. Bia and Azure sat down on a springy patch of moss, taking in the hollow.

It wasn't quite immaculate - littered with moulted feathers and leaves, but it wasn't too messy. They watched Johanna flitting about, hiding the remains of Brazil nut shells. "Sorry, Alejandro always forgets to tidy up." She said, in an apologetic tone. Despite her rush, Johanna moved with such grace.

Finally, she sat down in front of them, pushing over a passion fruit shell that was filled with the passion fruit flesh. Accepting the offer, Bia and Azure took out some of the fruit, helping themselves to it. After they were done, Johanna took away the shell, tossing it outside. "So, what's on your minds?" she asked.

"You tell her, Bia." Azure said. "You're better at explaining things like this."

"Okay." Bia cleared her throat. "You're a healer as well as a leader, aren't you, Johanna?" the Blue-and-Gold macaw nodded in reply, before Bia carried on. "We're hoping that you can answer our question. It's being really driving us up the wall. Alright - there as this Orange-Winged Amazon the other day. He was… really sick. According to Azure's sister, my dad, and some other witnesses, he had the most unusual symptoms. He was… shaking violently. Feathers falling out, painfully thin. Foul-tempered, red patches around his eyes… and he was coughing terribly. Coughing up…" Bia paused. "…blood. He was vomiting, too, according to my dad. Our question is - have you ever heard of such a disease? None of our healers have." Bia looked up, hoping that Johanna would nod to show she understood - but she looked very confused. "We were hoping you knew what it may be."

"Um… no. Never. Hold on." Johanna turned, and headed over to a large leaf on the floor, before picking it up. Johanna then began shifting through a hole, which had been covered by the leaf. Bia and Azure looked at each other, before walking forward and craning their necks to see inside. Some flat, smooth pieces of wood that varied in size, with tiny black markings that they could identify as writing.

"These are my lists of rare diseases." Johanna explained. "Each piece of wood for one illness. It's got everything there is to know about it - what it's called and why, the symptoms, and the cure for it… if there is a cure, that is. This greenish one is just a list of certain plants that help with general things, like fighting infection and stopping bleeding." Johanna then began muttering to herself as she read the pieces of wood, searching for a match. "No, not that one… no… no…" after a few minutes, Johanna came back up. "Bingo." she began reading out a piece of wood. "The… _Morte Incomum."_

"The what?" Bia blinked. Mimi and Jewel had taught her, Carla, and Tiago some Portuguese, but not those two words.

"It's Portuguese for 'Uncommon Death." Azure stated. As he said this, Azure and Bia looked at each other. Johanna then handed them the piece of wood, allowing them to read.

_Morte Incomum - 'Uncommon Death'. _

_Symptoms - coughing, vomiting, difficulty breathing, fever... _(the rest of the symptoms listed there were almost impossible to read - whoever had written this had loopy, fancy-looking letters that were hard to distinguish)

_Rarity - exceptionally rare. Just under half a dozen cases have been confirmed in centuries, with other rumoured cases over some decades._

_How it is spread - blood or bacteria of the infected making contact with that of another individual. Cannot be spread any other way. Do not touch the patient if you have any scabbing or open wounds. _

_Cure - _

"What's the cure?" asked Azure, immediately. "It's been rubbed off or something..." Johanna opened her beak, about to reply, but at that moment, there was a commotion outside. A male Blue-and-Gold bursted into the hollow, breathing heavily. Bia and Azure exchanged looks of alarm, stepping back as Johanna rushed up to him.

"Alejandro!" Johanna exclaimed. "What happened?" Bia then remembered Eduardo stating that Johanna had a mate, her childhood sweetheart, named Alejandro. Alejandro was tall, with a few feathers lying on the back of his head. He had the same colours in the same places as any Blue-and-Gold, with light grey eyes, and a scar over one eye. It looked as though someone had lashed at his eye with one talon, but he had closed his eyelid just in time, preventing the claw from touching his eye, but etching a scar onto the eyelid and the area around the eye. A second too slow, and he could have damaged his eyesight.

"We've found a case of... what that patrol warned us about." Alejandro blurted out, trying to catch his breath. "The Spix's patrol warned us of a diseased Amazon a few days before today... we found his body." Johanna gasped, alarmed, looking back at Bia and Azure, before turning back to her mate.

"Show me."

_Later_

There he was - the Orange-Winged Amazon. Frothy, blood-spotted saliva had dribbled out of his beak, and his eyes looked like they were made of glass. Johanna buried her face into Alejandro's chest, trying not to be sick. According to Alejandro, the bird had started having a seizure, before he finally died in the most gruesome way. Johanna didn't even want to hear the details, but she was relieved that she had sent Bia and Azure back to their tribe, preventing them from seeing the corpse. They would've had nightmares.

"Johanna?" said a young female Blue-and-Gold. "What do you want us to do with him?" Johanna thought over the options, pausing for several moments as she tried to get over the vile scene.

"Roll him in the biggest leaves you can find." Johanna managed to say at last. "Anyone with the tiniest paper-cut goes nowhere near the body. Touching only the leaves, I want tribe members with steady stomachs to dispose of it. Don't put it in the river, because that could infect the water and any creature that tries to ingest the body. I'll tell you what - find some flint, and burn it."


	6. Realization

Blu and Jewel were perched on a rocky ledge, with a brazil nut between them. Blu hadn't liked them at first, but he had grown to like them after the incident with the loggers and Nigel. Jewel paused in the middle of eating a piece of the Brazil nut, looking at something on Blu's head. "Hey, you know there's a butterfly on your head?"

"Huh?" Blu asked, looking up, where the butterfly was now crawling onto the top of his beak. "Oh, good." He sighed. "I bet I look ridiculous." Blu shook his head slightly, and the butterfly flitted its wings, fluttering into the air between Blu and Jewel.

"Oh, it's so pretty…" Jewel reached up with a wing-tip, and the butterfly landed on it, its pink, yellow and black wings moving up and down slowly. "Bia loves butterflies, I wonder what kind this one is…"

"She can tell you herself now, because there she is… oh, wait." Blu squinted across the ravine. "With Azure, and… is that Johanna and Alejandro?"

"What?" Jewel looked up; it was true what her mate said, for Bia and Azure were flying a foot or so in front of the two leaders of the Blue-and-Gold macaw tribe. They seemed to be headed for Eduardo's hollow. Jewel looked at her mate, before setting off after the four, followed by Blu. Leaders of other tribes were rare sights in tribes they didn't belong - everyone was craning their necks to get a look at Johanna and Alejandro, whispering in speculation about the two's reasoning for being there.

"Blu, Ju-Ju!" called a voice. Roberto, followed by Sophia, was emerging from the water-lily pads, where they had been flying over the water surface. "What's going on?" Roberto asked, looking from them to the sight of the two leaders, Azure, and Bia.

"No clue!" Blu replied, and they followed Johanna, Alejandro, Bia, and Azure toward Eduardo's tree, which was the second-biggest in the tribe's, other than Roberto's. Eduardo, having noticed the presence of the two Blue-and-Golds, was standing on a branch, waiting for them to reach him.

"What an unexpected surprise." Eduardo said, as Johanna and Alejandro landed. His pale green eyes flickered to Bia and Azure. "Have these two been causing trouble? I doubt it, personally, but I can't think of any other reason for you being here."

"Grandpa!" Bia protested, rolling her hazel eyes. "Of course not. It's about the bird you encountered the other day."

"She's right." Alejandro explained. "The body of the Orange-Winged Amazon has been found… dead." Whisperings broke out at this, for the tribe had been warned about the diseased bird. Most of them looked relieved, and they had every right to be - the infection the bird had had was clearly fatal. At this, Azure nudged Bia, and she nodded, before the pair flew off toward a nearby tree, where Isaac, Bromeliad, Orchid, and Tiago were perched, looking over the scene and whispering. Carla and Bruno were at the club, so not in the ravine.

"Dead?" Eduardo repeated, looking a mixture of relieved and surprised. Alejandro leaned toward him, whispering so that none of the tribe could hear.

"I encountered him in the middle of a seizure-like state," he began. "He pleaded for me to help him, but I couldn't, obviously, because I had a mosquito bite the other day - the disease could've accessed my blood. He was frothing at the beak, coughing up blood. How an infected bird dies varies, however."

"Indeed." Johanna confirmed, with a sombre look on her face. "We disposed of the corpse - we burnt it." At this, there were several hisses and mutters from the Spix's tribe members, most of whom had gathered in the nearby trees to listen. Having experienced and some of their members nearly being killed in a forest fire - twice - they highly despised fire.

"You risked setting the forest on fire?" croaked an elderly macaw, named Glauco, the oldest substitute of the Pit of Doom team. He was never planning on retirement - he claimed to just have 'early signs of aging', but the entire tribe knew that he was thrice or so times the age of Eduardo.

"No, actually." Alejandro said, turning to the old bird. "We put it in vegetation-free ditch, in a deforested area, where any fire couldn't spread. We used flint, and the ditch kept the burning of the body contained. We watched from a distance, anyway, just in case, and none of the fire exceeded the ditch. The body is well and truly gone, and you can now relax, knowing that there isn't a deranged bird out there." As Alejandro said this, almost everyone seemed to sigh in relief.

"Good." Eduardo sighed. "Thank you for informing us. Do you think that the disease may have been spread elsewhere?"

"A very slim chance." Johanna answered, shaking her neatly-shaped head. "Just fewer than six cases have been confirmed in recent centuries - it's extremely rare, and difficult to spread. It's only able to be spread by infected blood or bacteria making contact with the blood of someone else." While the rest of the tribe murmured in relief, one of them wasn't.

Jewel, too far away to hear, was trying to hold back a fit of coughing. It wasn't just a tickle, however - it was one that made her jolt, her throat to feel raw. After several moments, Jewel began spluttering as she coughed, her blue eyes watering as she did. Blu, Roberto, and Sophia both looked at her.

"Alright?" asked Sophia. Jewel smiled weakly, holding back more coughs. After several moments, Blu, Roberto, and Sophia turned their attention back to Johanna and Alejandro. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, Jewel quickly disappeared into the branches. _Where did that come from? _She thought, incredulously, as the coughing continued. There seemed to be a metallic taste in the back of her throat, becoming more prominent as she coughed more. _Get it together, Jewel, _she thought, holding the coughing back. Her head and neck felt heavy on her shoulders, and her back had a dull ache. Meanwhile, Blu noticed Jewel's absence.

"Jewel?" he asked, looking around. Hearing Blu's calls, Jewel forced down the coughing, and came out of the branches, as casually as possible. "Where did you get to?" asked Blu, looking concerned. "You look…"

"…Not good." Roberto finished his sentence, looking her up and down. "You look - a bit - unsettled."

"I'm fine." Jewel insisted, looking down into her reflection, in the water below. It was true - her feathers were fluffed up a bit, and there were dark circles under her eyes from fatigue. She had been having sleepless nights, recently, due to a peculiar feeling over her body. Jewel couldn't figure out what it was, but she didn't want to worry anyone, so she had kept it to herself.

"Sure?" Sophia asked.

"I'm _sure." _Jewel said. "So, what were they saying? I heard he died, but after that…"

"Something about the sick bird, and how his disease could be spread. It was an improbable chance of it being spread - his bacteria or blood making contact with someone else's blood." Blu told her. Blu was looking her up and down, as if looking for something; he was looking for any open wounds, how the disease could make contact with someone's blood. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, getting a terrible feeling in his stomach.

"Oh, leave it out." Jewel snapped, before turning, and flying away. Feeling hurt, Blu stared after her.

"That's unlike her." He said, after a few moments.

"Don't worry, buddy." Roberto clapped Blu on the shoulder. "She had mood swings when we were kids, it's not unheard of." He turned to his mate for back-up. "Right, baby?"

"She did, yeah…" Sophia answered, but she was still staring after Jewel. "Say, Blu, go after her - I'm sure she didn't mean it. Go and… talk to her."

"Yeah… okay." Blu reluctantly turned away, and set off after his mate. As soon as Blu was gone, Sophia turned to Roberto.

"Did you hear Jewel, a minute ago?" she said, in a hushed voice.

"No, sweetheart - why?" Roberto gave Sophia a quizzical look; neither he nor Blu had heard Jewel in the branches, but Sophia had. Sophia's dark blue eyes seemed to have dropped to even darker shade, and her voice was low.

"She was coughing, in the branches. It was… it sounded worse than a normal fit of coughing." Sophia casted a glance toward Blu and Jewel's tree, before looking back at Roberto. "She sounds _ill, _Roberto. She sounds ill."

_Meanwhile_

Jewel leaned heavily against the wall, a wave of nausea washing over her. She wanted to be sick, but she couldn't. Everything felt dizzy. Once again, the feeling came up in her throat, and Jewel lurched forward as she coughed, the metallic taste rising once again. _One more cough, _Jewel thought, feeling that this was, at last, the final one. Her wing flew up to her beak as she let the last cough go. It shook her lungs, but, finally, she knew that the coughing fit was over - for now, anyway.

But as Jewel looked down, she noticed something red, sprayed over the blue feathers. Jewel had to blink several times, making a sense of it. _I must be hallucinating. _Jewel seized a leaf, rubbing it frantically over her wing, but there were still stains, smearing over her wing feathers.

"It's a one-off." Jewel said to herself, fiercely. _It's a one-off, it happens all the time, and it's nothing serious._ She was trying to convince herself that this was true - when someone had a bad cough, a tiny bit of blood could come up sometimes. But this was more than a drop of blood. That one cough had been_ purely _blood. Jewel's heart was beating furiously in her chest, and she could feel herself beginning to panic as she remembered what had happened, almost a week ago. Jewel had stepped into a pool of his blood. And that foot had had something wrong with it.

Trembling slightly, Jewel looked down, and turned over one of her feet. But she couldn't bring herself to look, to see whether it was still there. With her eyes screwed shut, she traced the area under her foot, with a wingtip. It wasn't gone. The wound was still there, feeling hot. A tiny thorn-cut should've faded days ago, but it was still there. Jewel knew that it couldn't have looked good, but she didn't want to see it.

"Jewel!" called a voice, making her jump. Quickly, Jewel folded her wings, hiding the blood-smears, and she put down her foot. Forcing on a casual expression, Jewel ran out of her and Blu's room, running to answer Blu. As she ran, Jewel forced away the terrible feeling she had, and stifled another cough. _Relax. Be calm. It's nothing. _But Jewel couldn't convince herself. Something was wrong.


	7. Unwanted visitors

"I'm glad that you've all joined us here today." Roberto began, where he and Sophia were perched before Mimi, Eduardo, and Blu. The three looked rather puzzled, and were occasionally whispering to each other, trying to find out why they were here. Roberto and Sophia had been watching Jewel's movements for a couple of days, and now they knew that they had to act. "Sophia has… a matter that she has to discuss with you all, concerning Ju-Ju."

"Jewel?" asked Blu, looking up. "I was going to talk to you all about that, actually. Where is she, recently? She leaves at the crack of dawn, when I'm asleep - before any of the kids are up, either, and she just vanishes."

"I noticed that, too." Mimi agreed, where she had been smoothing the small, curling feathers on her head.

"I haven't seen her a lot, recently." Eduardo mentioned, his expression full of concern and worry. "I was going to ask you all some questions, as to where she is. My daughter used to spend so much time outside the ravine, when she was a girl, but she always came back several times during the day."

"The thing is, though, she comes back only at _night." _Blu then said. "But she doesn't come inside. She sleeps in the higher branches, where I can't hear or see her." Blu really was worried about Jewel - she had never acted so distant before. It was so unlike Jewel - she always gave the kids a hug in the morning, a kiss on the cheek for him, but for the last few days? She'd been nowhere in sight. Carla, Bia and Tiago didn't seem to notice it, as their minds were on other things, but Blu knew that they were starting to wonder where their mother was. Before Blu, Mimi and Eduardo could discuss any further, Roberto raised a wing, signalling them to be quiet so that Sophia could speak.

"We've got a theory to her behaviour, Blu." Sophia said, her voice low. "We've been watching her leaving, and coming back during the night. She always tends to leave when everyone's still asleep - before you're up, Eduardo, and you're always up first. And when she comes back, Blu, it's always after you go back inside your hollow."

"We've seen you waiting for her to come back, for quite a long time, and it seems the moment you give up, and go inside, she re-enters the ravine." Roberto added. "It's as if she's watching from a hidden spot, making sure that no one's still awake or up, before she finally heads back."

"You don't think it's something to do with me?" Blu asked. "You don't think she's… gone off me, do you?"

"No." Roberto and Sophia both said, at once.

"I severely doubt that, Blu." Mimi assured him. "She loves you a lot, you know. When she came back to us almost a year ago, we were talking for hours on end - what had happened in the past eighteen years or so, and how you two met. She told me how much she loves you." Mimi's words did appear to reassure the former pet - _companion, _Eduardo corrected himself. He now understood that Blu's upbringing wasn't his fault. _I never should've judged him for how he was raised. _

"Okay." Sophia cleared her throat. "Let's get to business. When Johanna and Alejandro were in the ravine to tell us about the sick bird being found dead, Jewel went missing for a minute or two. I heard her. She was coughing."

"Coughing?" Eduardo repeated.

"Yes." Roberto confirmed. "I didn't hear her, but Sophia did. It sounded bad, Eduardo, apparently. Whenever she leaves or comes back into the ravine at dawn or night, she's still coughing. It's been a few days now, since Johanna and Alejandro were here." Roberto looked down at Sophia, hesitant in breaking the news. "Based on her behaviour and her symptoms - we think that Jewel's caught the sick bird's disease." Roberto and Sophia looked up at their three friends, and they were shocked to see that the colour had drained from all their faces. All three were alarmingly still. Blu especially looked like a feathered statue, as still as a stone.

"_How?" _Mimi finally said at last. "How could she have…?"

"We don't know." Sophia murmured. "But she gave that Amazon a pretty savage attack, when he tried to attack me and Bromeliad. I attacked him too, but I feel fine, so I don't understand why…" Sophia's voice died as she ran out of words. Before any of them could speak, however, there was the sound of large wings, beating heavily through the air - not just one pair, but a few.

Roberto and Sophia heard the shaking of branches behind them as something landed. Eduardo, Mimi, and Blu were staring at something behind them; Blu's expression was mingled with fear and surprise, Mimi looked suspicious, and Eduardo looked furious. Wondering what could make Eduardo so angry in a matter of seconds, Roberto and Sophia turned around, before immediately rushing backwards, so that they were on the same branch as their three friends. Roberto had his wing outstretched protectively, across Sophia.

Blu had never seen macaws so large, but when he had lived in Minnesota with Linda, he had looked into his species, done a lot of research in the books of Linda's bookstore. He knew a lot about almost every species of macaw. Now, he could tell that three enormous Hyacinth macaws were perched on the branch before them. All three were a dark, navy blue, and almost twice the size of Eduardo, and they also had yellow skin around their eyes, and a little by their lower beaks. Their iron-grey beaks were enormous, clearly designed to bite through hard nut shells and tough fruits. He had read somewhere that they could even open coconuts. Blu didn't even want to look at their talons, but he had to. He shivered as he took in the long, hooked claws. Those talons could probably wrap around him with no problem at all.

The one in the middle was a female, and she was flanked by two, larger males. The males reminded Blu of bodyguards - well muscled, with sharp claws and rumpled feathers, not to mention a couple of scars. The female, meanwhile, was unmarked. Her feathers were neat, and she had dark, grey eyes that reminded Blu of river stones. She wasn't pretty, but then she wasn't ugly, either.

Initially, he thought that her feathers were complete, but then he noticed patchiness. It looked as though she had put dark blue fruit paint over the patches of skin, to hide them. He had also once thought that she bore no marks, but then he realized that her right foot looked a bit odd. It looked a bit oddly-shaped, the toes gnarled and twisted, some smaller than the others. Her left foot looked fine, however. Maybe she had been born that way, for there were no signs of trauma. She was standing mostly on her left side, her deformed foot lifted slightly off the branch she stood on. As for her age, Blu wasn't quite sure how old she was - but she looked older than Roberto, younger than Eduardo.

"Kerja." Hissed Eduardo, his feathers bristling. "What are you doing here, so far from your territory?" Blu took a step back, behind Mimi.

"Hello, Eduardo." Replied the female, in a honeyed voice. _She sounds too nice, _thought Blu, mistrust pricking at him. Her voice sounded kind, but under that, there was something he couldn't trust. Her voice sounded heavily 'put on', as though she was going through a lot of effort in order to sound nice.

"Don't use that fake voice." Mimi snapped, clearly undaunted by Kerja's enormous stature. "It's incredibly annoying, you know. You're… what, twenty-something, and you're so immature."

"No need to be rude." Kerja retorted, in a new, grating voice that Blu knew was her true voice. It was very unpleasant, and the tone of it made his skin prickle. "We haven't made a lot of contact much, over the years, have we?" Her dark eyes travelled over the five Spix's macaws, before they landed on Blu, narrowing with suspicion as she failed to recognise him. "Who's this?"

"My son-in-law." Eduardo replied, curtly.

"Oh?" the area above one of Kerja's eyes rose. "Has your little daughter returned, after all these years? I heard about her going missing." She then smiled sweetly. "What about your wife? What was her name, again? Tia?"

"Shut up!" Roberto almost shouted, making Blu jump. When Blu looked at Eduardo, a distant, anguished look came to his eyes, at the mention of his dead mate. Jewel had told Blu a little about Tia, but he didn't know a lot about her, as he knew that Jewel found it too painful. Roberto was shaking a bit, with rage. "Shut your beak. What are you doing in our territory? You know it's strictly forbidden for Hyacinths."

"Admiring the view." Kerja answered, and her two bodyguards snorted a bit with laughter. None of the Spix's macaws, however, were amused. Eduardo and Roberto were both shaking with rage, Sophia was looking around, as if considering getting help, and Mimi was simmering, trying not to show her anger. Even Blu, who was usually calm, looked agitated.

"What do you want?" Sophia demanded, putting her wing across Roberto, probably to stop him flinging himself at Kerja and the two Hyacinths. "Cut to the chase, and skip the insults and jokes. You obviously have a reason for being here, after so many years." Kerja folded her wings, suddenly looking very bored.

"We have a very small territory, you know. No wonder we strayed here by accident…"

"And piranhas might fly." Mimi snorted. "Every time you turn up, you're after something. Besides, your territory is more than a few kilometres' flight from here, you must have known that this isn't yours." Kerja ignored Mimi, eyes fixed on Eduardo. Eyes filled with a burning hatred. Eduardo matched her gaze, before he looked away.

"What happened fifteen-odd years ago was not my fault." Eduardo said, unexpectedly. Mimi, Roberto and Sophia all looked at one another, knowing what he meant. Blu, however, was baffled, wondering what on earth could've happened. He didn't know an awful lot about his father-in-law's back-story, even a year after meeting him. Even Jewel was in the dark, as to what had gone on in the time she was separated from her tribe. Kerja glowered at him, looking at both her bodyguards. Eduardo stood up straighter, and it was that moment that Blu noticed a glint of metal under Kerja's deformed talon. All five of them recoiled as they identified the unnatural object.

"A pocketknife?" Blu asked, staring. _I thought tribes never used human things - at least mine, the Reds and the Blue-and-Golds don't… _

"You see, Eduardo's son-in-law, there's a reason my tribe has managed to capture so much land." Kerja said, in a calm voice. "It's not our sheer size or numbers. The Glaucous macaw tribe only had their beaks and talons. But us?" Kerja flicked the pocketknife through the air, catching it in her deformed claws, grinning. "We are smart enough to find other weapons." Blu stiffened, staring at the pocketknife blade, which glistened in the Brazilian sun. It was silver, but a little rusted with age. The wooden handle was notched, its black paint almost entirely chipped away. There was a series of nicks along the side of the handle; made on purpose, based by the equal spacing between each nick, and the same size of each one. Blu wondered if they represented something, but based on the dark, brown-red stain on the wooden handle, he had an idea - an idea he really didn't like.

"In other words, too afraid to use the skills you were born with." Sophia muttered, under her breath. Kerja's eyes flicked up, settling on Sophia.

"You, my dear, might want to watch your beak when you talk to someone like me." She said, in a dangerously quiet voice. Before any of them could reply, there was the sound of flapping wings. They turned their heads, to see a light blue form flying through the trees, her green eyes wide with fear. Carla's fluffy feathers were on end, and Blu was alarmed to see his eldest daughter's state. _I thought she looked panicked enough when she accidently broke Fernando's laptop… what's happened this time?_

"Dad! Mimi! Grandpa!" Carla was looking petrified. In her frenzied state, Carla didn't notice the three Hyacinths, who were exchanging odd looks. Kerja pushed the pocketknife blade forwards until it slid into its slot, and she put it down on the branch, talon over it.

"Maybe it's time for us to leave." She said, looking at her burly companions. Without another word, Kerja turned, and flew away, closely flanked by the two male Hyacinths. _Good riddance, _Mimi thought, briefly forgetting Carla, before she refocused on her grand-niece.

"Carla?" Blu asked, incredulously. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

"You've got to come, quick!" Carla gasped, fighting to breathe. "It's, it's -" Carla began stammering, too panicked to speak properly, until Eduardo finally spoke in a loud voice, silencing her.

"_What?" _demanded Eduardo. Carla looked up at her grandfather, eyes wide with terror.

"It's mom!" she cried. All five stared at the teenager, all thinking about what Roberto and Sophia had said earlier. Without speaking, Blu rushed off into the rainforest without looking back, headed for the ravine.

**_In case you're wondering what kind of a name 'Kerja' is, it means 'hunter', in Javanese. (It's not a spelling mistake - it's not Japanese - Javanese is from Java). Fairly intimidating, right? Keep the views going!_**


	8. Earlier

_Some time before_

"Okay guys, we want to thank everyone for their_ phenomenal_ support, and we have an announcement to make." Carla looked down at her audience, with Bruno at her side. "Starting tomorrow, we're changing our opening times, from noon for two hours, to a better time of sunset for two hours - partying is better when it's darker." _It's also more beneficial for our social lives, _both Carla and Bruno thought, privately.

While just three days a week were dedicated to the club, it's opening in the daytime pulled both of them away from their circle of friends. Since neither Carla nor Bruno wanted this, making the opening time later in the day was better, where hanging out with friends was more common during the morning to the afternoon. There were several mutters from the audience, but Carla was glad to see that they weren't too bothered.

"Before we close, Carla's performing a new song!" Bruno announced, and the audience cheered. "It's a song she heard of, when she went on vacation to Rio - she says it's called 'All About that Bass'. Enjoy!" Bruno flew up to a perch above the stage, watching Carla beginning the first lyrics, while their instrument-volunteers found the right instruments for the rhythm. It was really a song where a girl was supposed to sing it, and Carla aced it perfectly.

Bruno ran his wing-tips through his 'mohawk-like' head feathers. That was how Carla described them. He didn't understand why they were that way, sticking up in that fashion - neither his father nor his mother had anything like it. Bruno watched the party-goers in the audience beginning to dance, before flying down himself and vanishing into the sea of colour. Eventually, he encountered some young macaws from his tribe, who beckoned him over in a friendly manner before resuming their dancing. Bruno was more of a singer than a dancer, but he didn't mind it.

A few minutes later, he was then distracted from his thoughts by the conclusion of 'All About That Bass', as the audience began cheering wildly. He knew that they'd like that song - he'd heard it on Carla's iPod, and suggested that she sing that in the club. It looked like it was a hit. While the audience began to leave, Carla threw a couple of woven leaf 'sheets' over the instruments, protecting them from damage. Bruno quickly flew down to help her, pushing the covered instruments to the sides.

"You were amazing, as always." Bruno commented, smiling at Carla.

"Thank you." Carla blushed a bit, returning the smile. _Ask her, _Bruno thought, but just as he was about to ask the question yet again, Carla suddenly spoke. "I'm glad that the sick bird's dead." She remarked, not looking at him. _Can you read my mind? You seem to know when I'm going to ask, 'Will you be my girlfriend?'_

"Yeah, me too." Bruno agreed. Johanna and Alejandro's visit had been a few days ago, and the tribe had been at ease. The last of the locals had left now, leaving them alone. Carla turned to him.

"Ready to go?" she asked, with her dazzling smile. Her smile made him feel warm inside - as if his heart were melting every time she smiled.

"Absolutely." Bruno nodded, following her outside. Together, they pushed the rock slab back over the entrance, so that nothing could get in, before they set off back home. Carla's eyes were beautiful, as green and shiny as her emerald necklace, and her eyelashes were unbelievably long. Carla was a bit chubby, but Bruno didn't care about that. She was curvaceous and looked stunning. She was talented, beautiful, and she had a great sense of humour. He really did like her.

But she didn't seem to like him in _that _way. Either that, or she was purposely not showing it. Whenever Bruno asked her to be his girlfriend, she never replied, by changing the subject or ignoring him. He understood that her first relationship with Gus was terrible, but that was months ago. Surely she was ready to move on? _Doesn't she trust me? _

Bruno and Carla soon arrived back in the ravine, with the songs that had been performed stuck in their heads. Bruno knew that 'All About That Bass' really appealed to Carla - but she didn't truly believe in the lyrics. Bruno had seen some slightly chubby birds in the audience lost in thought, and, within a few more lyrics, smiling and coming out of their shells as they danced 'braver' kinds of moves as Carla sang the song. Bruno knew from Bia and Tiago that, before Augustus, Carla hadn't cared about her size. She had never been that big, anyway.

But after Augustus had called her fat, to peer-pressure, her confidence had dropped like a stone. She wasn't fat; there was nothing wrong with being chubby. Maybe Augustus's words had distorted her reflection, whenever she looked into a puddle, or into a piece of mirror. Carla was always fussing with her reflection, asking Bruno if she looked fat, and, every time, his answer was 'No.' But she never believed him.

"Oh, look." Grumbled Carla. "It's my least-favourite macaw in the ravine." Bruno looked up, and spotted Augustus, sitting with his new girlfriend, Andrea. They were giggling about something, as usual. Bruno rolled his brown eyes.

"Ignore them, Carli." Bruno sighed.

"Ugh, they're so _happy." _She complained, glaring at the two of them. Bruno paused behind her, feeling a little hurt. By not happy, did that mean that she wasn't happy with him?

"Aren't you happy?" Bruno asked, blinking. "You're brilliant, gorgeous, you own the hottest club in the tribe territories, and you've got the best family and friends you could ever ask for. And you've got me, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Carla looked away, before flying in direction of Blu and Jewel's tree. Bruno held back another sigh, looking back at Gus and Andrea. Andrea then spotted him, and she nudged Gus. The two began waving enthusiastically at him, and he waved back, before turning and following Carla. _They can forget, but Carla can't._

When they reached the tree, it was empty, but he remembered seeing Bia and Azure at the star fruit trees, and Tiago and Orchid hanging out with Bromeliad and Isaac. Roberto and Sophia had apparently gone for a private talk with Eduardo, Mimi, and Blu. "Hey, Bruno?" Carla was looking through the niche in her room wall, where her iPod was kept. "Have you seen my mom?"

Bruno thought a bit. He had seen Blu this morning, but not Jewel. Come to think of it, over the last few days, Carla's mother hadn't been around much. Jewel left the nest in the morning, and came back at night, when everyone was asleep. Bruno knew this, because he slept outside of his room, in a cosy place where several branches joined together.

He liked being in the open - he was a little claustrophobic, so being under the open sky was an ideal sleeping place. If it were raining, he'd sleep in his room, but on rain-free nights, sleeping under the stars was absolute bliss. His and his parents' tree happened to be right by the entrance, so they could hear pretty much anyone entering the ravine.

Being outside, a light sleeper, and with a keen sense of hearing, he heard the flapping of wings easily. Bruno had watched Jewel leaving the nest at dawn, and only returning at nightfall. Why, however, was a mystery to him. Where was she, everyday? And why?

"No, sorry." Bruno replied. "Maybe she's in the jungle somewhere? It's the one place she can be, if she's not here. She left the nest this morning, but I haven't seen her since." Carla nodded, before entering her room and hanging her little, emerald-pendant necklace on the wall.

"I guess. She was coughing a bit, last night - it's weird, mom came home super-late, but she slept outside, instead of with dad. I don't know what's up with her."

"Strange." Bruno remarked, and he looked around, taking in the surroundings. Tiago and Carla, while they shared few similarities, did have one thing in common - their rooms looked as if someone had gone on a rampage through them. While Bia's was neat and tidy, everything neatly sorted, her brother's and sister's were a tip. Carla's iPod was kept in a niche in the wall, but that was where order stopped. The floor was covered in feathers and leaves - she didn't bother tidying up. Tiago's was even worse.

There was then the sound of wings; but they were uneven, and they could hear someone panting. Carla looked at Bruno, puzzled, before looking outside the room, and down into the main hollow below. "It kinda sounds like mom." She said. Bruno joined Carla at the edge, looking down. Jewel was leaning against the entrance, breathing heavily. "Mom?" Carla asked. "You alright?" Jewel didn't seem to hear, for she began coughing heavily - not a normal cough, but it was one that echoed around the nest, so that Carla and Bruno could hear it very clearly. She was doubled over, and clutching her chest, as if she were in agony with each cough. Bruno looked at Carla, and he could see the fear coming into her eyes. He himself was very alarmed - that was definitely no ordinary coughing fit. Something was wrong.

"Jewel!" Bruno called, to get her attention. Jewel was now swaying against the entrance, her breaths ragged and shallow, and now, Carla couldn't take it any longer.

"Mom!" Carla shouted, frantically, stretching her wings to fly down.

"C-Ca…" Jewel began, struggling to say her eldest daughter's name. After several attempts, she found whole words. "Get… your father…" Suddenly, Jewel's head rose, and her eyes rolled up in their sockets. First, it looked as though she was leaning forward; but then she went lower, and lower, until it happened all at once. As her eyes slid shut, Jewel collapsed onto the nest floor.

_**This chapter was originally intended for chapter 10, but then I decided to make things more interesting and put it as 11, instead. This also explains why this chapter came so fast. The next chapter will probably be up within a couple of days. **_


	9. Panic

Carla, followed by Eduardo, Blu, Mimi, Roberto, and Sophia, flew as fast as she could, her wings straining in her desperation to get back to her mother. When Jewel had crashed to the floor, Carla and Bruno had frantically tried to wake her, but to no effect. She was still alive, but she had had dark circles under her eyes, and her feathers were ruffled and dirty.

Bruno had sent Carla to find help, for she was faster than he was - and the first ones she could think of were Blu, Eduardo, and Mimi, or Roberto and Sophia. Now, all five were following her, frantic and asking her what had happened, but Carla had no idea why Jewel had collapsed. Up ahead, she saw Bromeliad, Isaac, and Orchid, perched on a branch, and she began shouting at them.

"Guys!" Carla yelled, and they looked up, in surprise. "Where's Bia and Tiago?" she demanded.

"Azure and Bia are at the star fruit grove, and Tiago went to get some water - why, what's the matter?" Isaac replied, looking baffled as to why the six macaws were in such a rush.

"No time to explain, Isaac!" Roberto shouted at his eldest son. "Find them, and bring them back to the ravine! This is important!"

"Why?" Orchid asked.

"Just find them!" Sophia cried, her expression filled with dread; she knew what was wrong with Jewel. "Hurry!"

"Okay, okay, we'll be as fast as we can!" Bromeliad spread her wings, looking disturbed by their behaviour, before turning to her younger brother and sister. "Come on! You two spilt up and find Tiago; he'll be harder to find. I'll get Bia and Azure. _Vamos!" _While Bromeliad sped away to the star fruit grove,Isaac and Orchid went their separate directions, heading for water sources that Tiago would've gone to.

Carla was relieved when the outside of their home melted into view, and they flew through the thin ravine that was the entrance. It opened up, and the plunge pool, waterfall, and dense trees came into sight. There was a small crowd around Blu and Jewel's home, craning their necks to see inside. Very few macaws were in the ravine today, so there were only a few dozen or so. As they got closer, the crowd turned, and moved apart to make a pathway. With Carla in the lead, the six dashed through the crowd, and they rushed into the tree. There she was, still on the floor, with Bruno crouching beside her, calling to her.

"Finally!" Bruno exclaimed, looking relieved, when he spotted them. "Everyone's refusing to touch her, because most of them are afraid of being infected!"

"Jewel!" Blu landed on the floor, running over to his mate's side. At Blu's voice, Jewel twitched slightly, muttering something that sounded like his name. Eduardo too ran to his daughter, calling her, and Jewel began making more signs of life, mumbling. Her eyes pried open a little.

"Guys…" she muttered, in a slurred voice, as she looked at them all. Blu whirled round, to Eduardo.

"Help me get her, she can't stay on the floor." Blu said, staring with desperate eyes. Without hesitation, Eduardo took Jewel's wing, and Blu took the other, and together, they half-dragged, half-carried Jewel to the nearest room, a small, unused one hidden by some kind of climbing plant.

"I'll get some moss, to make her comfortable!" Mimi said in a rapid, frantic voice, before disappearing. They all jumped when they heard Mimi shouting. "Oi! Get out here! She needs space! Go on, shoo!" there was the sound of many wings as the tribe scattered, swiftly obeying Mimi's demand.

"She needs water, too." Roberto stated, staring down at his unmoving friend, before darting away to get some. "And I'll get the healers!" he shouted back, before vanishing. Sophia whirled round, noticing Carla and Bruno, who were standing there, unsure what to do.

"You two wait outside." She said, pushing them out and closing the curtain-like climbing plant, ignoring Carla's protests. _Sorry, kids - you can't see this. _Sophia turned back, running to her friend. Her eyes had closed again, and Jewel was still mumbling and muttering. Blu was holding her face, talking to her, trying to get her to wake fully, but It wasn't working.

"I- I don't understand…" Eduardo whispered, looking stunned beyond belief. "What's wrong with her?"

"You don't know?" Sophia said, staring at them both. "We just told you what she's got."

"But she can't -" Blu stammered. He didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that the sweet, loving Jewel could catch a disease like that bird's. "How? You haven't got it, so how could she? You attacked him as well." but it occurred to Blu and Sophia. Sophia may have landed a few scratches on the Orange-Winged Amazon, but she didn't have any open or healing wounds. They both looked at Jewel's foot, which was huddled up to her, as she were cold.

"What's wrong?" asked Eduardo. Neither Blu nor Sophia replied. Slowly, cautiously, Sophia took one of Jewel's talons, and turned it over, so that the sole faced upwards. Over a week on, and the little wound from the thorn was still there. But it wasn't red, or pink. It was black. The wound was pure black, darker than the grey of her foot, and the black was blooming out on the skin, like a cloud.

"This is why." Whispered Sophia. The three macaws stared at each other, horror slowly beginning to build as they recalled the incident with the Orange-Winged Amazon. The pool of blood on the branch.

"I've got some moss!" they were startled by Mimi's voice, and the short, female macaw came rushing in, her wings full of moss. Mimi, however, took one look at the black would, before she dropped the moss to the floor, speechless. "What… in the name of…" before anyone could tell Mimi about the thorn and the blood, Roberto's silvery voice reached their ears.

"She's right this way, guys… excuse me, Carla, Bruno. Just wait out here, okay?" Roberto quickly entered the room, followed by a few of the healers. They halted a few feet from Jewel, the medical plants in their talons falling to the floor as they saw the black wound. Blu looked up from Jewel, seeing the plants scattered across the floor like the confetti of Linda and Tulio's wedding. The hope he had vanished as he looked at the clueless healers' faces.

"Well?" demanded Eduardo, glaring at the newcomers. "You're healers, get cracking." But the healers looked speechless, and began shuffling their feet.

"Uh…" said one. All of them stared, bewildered by the look of bafflement on all the healers' faces. "We… haven't… seen it before…" there was a long silence. "We don't know how to treat it." He confessed. Eduardo wasn't satisfied by this answer, however. His pale green eyes slitted, resembling pale green ice chips, and Blu knew how that look felt. It was like being thrown into a freezing lake - he had known from experience, in the days after they had found the tribe.

"You listen to me, Mateo." Snapped Eduardo, seizing the healer by the beak. "You look in your herb stores and find every _scrap _of information on this, or you kiss your 'healer' status goodbye."

"But Eduardo, we don't know!"protested a female one. "We're sorry, but we don't know. We generally treat wounds and minor illness, not serious, rare disease." Losing patience, Sophia's periwinkle-tinted blue feathers fluffed up, making the healers cower even more so.

"She needs a_ proper_ healer." The score marker hissed, glowering at the unprepared healers. "Our ones are just bumbling _fools." _Her scathing comment had clearly stung the healers, for they flinched at her tone of voice. Sophia took her mate's wing. "Come on, Roberto. We're going to pay our Red friends a visit. At least they've got a decent healer."

"Excellent idea." Roberto nodded, before turning back to them. "We'll be back as fast as the wind can carry us." He promised, before looking down at his still-unconscious childhood friend. His crest feathers were lifted with tension and panic. "We can't lose her. Not again." Roberto and Sophia quickly left the room, before they remembered Carla and Bruno. Carla was pacing, her wingtips buried in her head feathers; upon seeing them come out, she whipped round, with a hopeful expression.

"What's happening?" Carla begged. Sophia and Roberto looked at each other, not entirely sure what to tell the pair.

"Your mother's a bit sick." Sophia finally said. "Wait for a bit, and then ask if you can go in, okay? Our healers are clueless, and we're seeking the help of the Red tribe's healer." Carla's eyes blazed with anger, that she was being shut out, before emotion took them over. She turned, pressing her face into Bruno's chest, trying not to cry. Bruno wrapped both his wings around her, looking at Roberto and Sophia.

"Go." He murmured.

_Meanwhile_

Bia was nestled very comfortably, against Azure. The remains of a half eaten star fruit lay a few feet away. Star fruit was one of their favourite fruits, but strawberry guavas were undoubtedly their favourites. But everyone seemed to want to avoid it, since a week or so ago. Bia and Azure also wanted to steer clear of it, for another few weeks at least. It had even been advised in an official speech, by Eduardo. Just in case some of the Amazon's bacteria still lingered, if it made contact with someone's blood. Johanna had told them - the smallest cut, and you caught it.

"You know," said Azure, gazing at the blue sky. "I've always wondered what the world looks like, outside the Amazon. I've heard of the human cities, but surely that can't be all? Hey, when you fly from here to Rio and back, what do you see, other than cities?"

"There's the valleys in Bahia," Bia stated. "It's gorgeous - we pass through it, whenever we go to and from Rio. There's other grasslands, and there's other rainforest… the coast is stunning. I'd love to explore outside Brazil some day. Maybe I'll go travelling through a few countries, for just a few weeks. You could go with me, if you want…" Before any of them could say anymore, however, there was the sound of panting. Bromeliad exploded into the star fruit grove, looking very unsettled, and worried. Bia and Azure looked at one another, bewildered, but Bromeliad began speaking before they could ask her what her rush was.

"Thank goodness!" Bromeliad gasped, staggering as she landed.

"Woah, what's wrong?" Azure asked, blinking at his older sister. "You look… panicked."

"You've got to come back," Bromeliad exclaimed, leaning against a tree trunk to catch her breath.

"What?" asked Bia, frowning at her friend. "Why?"

"I don't know, but my parents, Carla, Eduardo, Mimi, and Blu were in a heck of a rush to get back home." Bromeliad answered. "I'm not sure but… I think it concerns Jewel, because she wasn't among them." Bia looked at Bromeliad, this information being absorbed in her brain, before she felt a sickening feeling of dread.


	10. Cureless

Roberto and Sophia hid in some leaves, watching the scene with utter dismay. They had been flying into their neighbours' territory for only a couple of minutes when they had overheard an argument, between Felipe and none other than the Hyacinth macaw leader - Kerja. Felipe was standing there, both his wings spread out to hide the two chicks from sight. The older looking chick had vivid green eyes, rather like Felipe, and she sported a similar-looking feather ruffle on the back of her head. The younger-looking one had dark brown eyes, with a collection of short, tousled-looking feathers; she reminded Roberto of someone that he used to know, when he was just over a year old, around the time that Jewel had gone missing from the tribe. _Adelaide. That's who she looks like. _

"I'm telling you now, Kerja!" Felipe snarled. "If you lay a claw on either of my daughters again, I'll kill you."

"If you taught your children about boundaries or respect, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Retorted the Hyacinth macaw, a downy red feather trapped under one of the gnarled talons of her deformed foot. Roberto and Sophia had seen that foot a few times, but it was still rather creepy to look at. Just looking at it sent shivers down their spines. Kerja was glowering at the two chicks, her grey eyes slits. The older one was doing her best to stay out of sight, while the younger one's head was held high, her eyes full of fearlessness as she looked at the enormous Hyacinth.

"Normal macaws call it an _accident_." Felipe retorted, the dislike in his glare matching Kerja's._ "_Now, I'm warning you, if you so much _look _at either of them again - I will tear your eyes out, and then I will shove them down your throat."

"Oh dear. _Threats. _How frightening." Kerja's grating voice was heavy with sarcasm, and her eyes glittered with malice from where she stood. Behind her, four Hyacinths began laughing. "Teach your daughters to respect their neighbours. They disrespect us by coming where they're not wanted."

"It was a mistake." Said the younger-looking one, boldly, in a confident voice. "You shouldn't overreact to things! We're allowed in everyone else's territories, so you have no right to try and shut us out of yours!" Roberto and Sophia couldn't help but admire her spirit. Despite the spark of outrage on Kerja's face, she didn't look afraid at all. This chick must've only been a few weeks old, and Kerja was either in her late twenties or early thirties.

"Brave kid!" whispered Sophia.

"Listen to me, you little brat." Kerja snarled. "Keep your mouth shut, and don't act so precocious. That's the issue with kids these days, they think they're so grown-up, but at the end of the day, they're just spoilt hell-raisers. I'm glad I don't have any." Behind Kerja, one particularly small Hyacinth's eyes flashed with hurt. Roberto and Sophia looked at each other again - this one, as tiny as she was, bore a resemblance to Kerja. ''That could be her daughter... maybe she's just trying to look fierce.''

"_I'm_ glad you don't have any. I'd feel sorry for your kids. Who'd want you for a mom?" asked the brown-eyed chick, ignoring Kerja's scathing comment.

"That's enough." Felipe said, looking down at her, warningly. "Adelaide, Leticia, don't ever go over there again, alright?"

"Yes, daddy." Muttered the two, glumly. Nodding, Felipe looked back, raising a wingtip to point at Kerja.

"Don't ever touch either of my daughters again." He snapped. "Just because they cross by accident, doesn't mean that you have to any right to attack them. Get out of here, and don't show up at my borders again. Come on, kids." At the last words, the two chicks clambered into his back. They looked too young to fly - maybe he'd brought them out because they were so desperate to see the outside world. Felipe then glared at the Hyacinths one final time, before turning and flying through the trees.

"Let's go." Whispered Sophia, and they proceeded to follow Felipe, Adelaide, and Leticia. However, before they did, Roberto told Sophia to wait. He pointed down at the five Hyacinths. Kerja had stretched out her wing, indicating that her four accomplices follow her; instead of turning back into their side, the five Hyacinths flew deeper into the Red's territory. The smallest one kept looking over her shoulder, with fearful eyes, and Sophia couldn't help but wonder - was this one different? She'd never seen that look on a Hyacinth before, because this one looked both reluctant and frightened.

"This isn't good." Hissed Roberto. "They lurk around our borders, trespass, and they're doing the same to the Red tribe? After a few years, they pop up out of the blue? Something's going on."

"Come on, Robbie. I know, it's infuriating, but Jewel's health is more important." Sophia pointed out, and Roberto nodded in agreement, but he still looked suspicious, watching the five Hyacinths vanishing into the Red's territory.

"Let's go find Felipe." He muttered, before leading the way, toward the Kapoks that accommodated the Red tribe. Roberto and Sophia hadn't actually been into the Red tribe's home before - they usually met Felipe and his mate, Azalea, at the border. By now, Roberto and Sophia were within a minute of entering the Kapoks. Red flashes in the trees indicated the presence of Scarlet and Green-Winged macaws, and they felt themselves being watched.

"Who's that?" hissed a voice, making them jump. They whirled round, and came face-to-face with two macaws, who had large rocks clutched within their talons. The male was a Green-Winged, and the female looked like a mixture of Green-winged and Scarlet, based on her wing colours. _Ricardo and Lena, _thought the two Spix's macaws. Ricardo was in the Red's Pit of Doom team, and Lena was his mate.

"Whoa, whoa!" they raised their wings, upon noticing the large rocks. "Easy! It's us." Ricardo and Lena looking them over, once, before dropping the rocks with relief.

"Roberto, Sophia." Lena said, sounding relieved. "Sorry about our… aggressive welcome. We thought you were… someone else. You did look a bit too small and too light a blue to be Hyacinths."

"Hyacinths?" Sophia asked, and Ricardo and Lena nodded grimly. "They're causing trouble for you, as well? I mean, we did just see Felipe arguing with Kerja, but… we thought that was a one-off."

"No." Ricardo replied. "They're lurking about the border constantly, and we have to keep checking our border markers, to ensure that they haven't been moved. But they'v constantly trespassing, every day, uncomfortably close to here." Roberto and Sophia exchanged worried looks. _They're causing trouble here, too? _"Anyway, what do you want?"

"We need to see Felipe, Azalea, Maite, and Miguel." Roberto said. "Please, it's important - as soon as possible. We're here on two matters." They had to tell Felipe and Azalea that the Hyacinths were still somewhere in the area, as well as Jewel's illness.

"Well, Maite and Miguel are out, replenishing their medical herbs." Lena informed them. "They'll be back soon; for the time being, we'll take you to see Felipe and Azalea. Have you seen Adele and Leti? Aren't they adorable?"

"I thought they were called Adelaide and Leticia." Sophia looked briefly confused, before she realized. "Oh! Adelaide - Adele, Leticia - Leti. That's cute. We did see them, briefly, and I remember Felipe and Azalea telling us that they had two eggs in the nest, a few weeks back." They faded into a comfortable silence, until Lena and Ricardo stopped in the largest Kapok tree. These trees were so large, that they had many separate hollows, perfect for multiple families to live in one tree. Inside, they could hear Azalea fretting over Leti and Adele.

"You could have been killed, girls! Why did you go over there?"

"It wasn't my fault, mommy! It's was Adele's idea!"

"Don't blame me, Leti! Blame the one with the weird-looking foot! We can go anywhere else, so why not there?"

"Adele's got quite some spirit." Lena commented. "She looks so much like the macaw she's named after… it's funny, Azalea and Adelaide were cousins, but Adele looks so much like Adelaide. You'd think that Adelaide had been her aunt, rather than her first-cousin-once-removed. Leti's a bit more bashful and shy, but she's the perfect mixture of her mom and dad. Her father's eyes and head feathers, her mother's looks… Anyway, do go inside. We'll go find Maite and Miguel, and bring them back, if it's urgent."

"Thank you." Sophia and Roberto nodded gratefully at Lena and Ricardo, before entering the hollow. "Hello?" The hollow was littered with downy red feathers and bits of moss, probably from Leti and Adele's antics. Sophia and Roberto's own four had turned their once-tidy nest into a tip, when they were little, even more so than Felipe and Azalea's two had done. Azalea looked up, from where she was scolding Leti and Adele, and a tired smile came to her face.

"Hey, you guys - everything alright?" Azalea went straight up to Sophia, and the two macaws shared a hug. The two scoremarkers had once despised each other, but the old rivalry had faded away.

"Roberto, Sophia? Is that you?" Felipe emerged from a room, still looking stressed from what happened earlier, with Kerja. He nodded at Sophia, before clapping Roberto's wing. "Great to see you. Allow me to introduce our two girls - Adelaide and Leticia, or Adele and Leti for short. Girls, this is Roberto and Sophia - Spix's macaws, and good friends of ours." Roberto and Sophia looked down, where the two chicks were standing beside Azalea.

Leti was a little taller than her younger sister, but like Lena had said, she looked like the perfect combination of Felipe and Azalea. Her eyes were literally a mixture - they looked like Felipe's green, at first, but then Roberto and Sophia noticed some hazel around the pupil, like Azalea's.

Adele was shorter; and, like they had acknowledged before, she shared an uncanny resemblance to Adelaide. It was widely believed in the Red tribe that Adelaide had suffered from some kind of mental disability: her mood snapped to another in a heartbeat, and when she got frightened - she got scared unusually easily - Adelaide would either run away in tears or her temper would explode. But this was clearly not the case with little Adele, and they were glad for it. Felipe, Azalea, Roberto, and Sophia rarely spoke about Adelaide. The two Spix's macaws hadn't interacted with her much, but Adelaide's death had been a tragedy.

"Nice to meet you!" Adele said, enthusiastically.

"Hello!" squeaked Leti, the white skin on her face flushing pink.

"She's shy." Azalea smiled, and the shade of Leti's skin went even pinker.

"Aw, mommy." Leti hid behind Azalea's wing, and both Roberto and Sophia chuckled.

"You're both little cuties." Sophia crooned, and the two Spix's spirits were briefly uplifted, seeing the two chicks.

"So, what do you want?" asked Felipe, putting his wing around Azalea, while Leti and Adele settled down between their parents.

"Firstly, we saw what happened earlier." Roberto said. Felipe looked rather embarrassed, but Roberto spoke before Felipe could. "After you left, Kerja and the Hyacinths didn't go back into their side…. They went into your territory, deliberately."

"They what?" Felipe's eyes sparked with rage. "How dare they! They're twisted, I'll see to that!" before anyone could stop him, Felipe had stormed outside. "I need a patrol of ten birds! There's five Hyacinths in our territory!" gasps sounded from the Kapoks, and, soon, about a dozen macaws were flying toward Felipe. "A dozen will do." Felipe said, sounding satisfied. "Go, and get them out. You'll outnumber them, so that should drive them away without any need for combat." the mixture of Green-Winged and Scarlets nodded, turned, and flew toward the Kapok exit. Within a few moments, Felipe re-entered the hollow, looking furious. Azalea frowned, while Adele and Leti blinked their eyes.

"Calm down, sweetie." Azalea said in a soothing tone.

"Sorry." Muttered Felipe. "I just hate it. I'm not setting up a Pit of Doom match, I'm just going to leave it. Besides, I hate to admit it, but they always crush us in those games - they're almost twice the size of the average Scarlet or Green-Winged." There was a long silence, before Sophia felt that it was appropriate to get onto their next order of business.

"That's not the main reason for us being here, though." She said. "There's something more serious."

"We think we're in the middle of a crisis." Said Roberto darkly. "Felipe, Azalea – do you remember the two macaws that came with us, when we met up a few weeks ago? Blu and Jewel; it's Jewel we need to talk to you about."

"There is a serious problem." Murmured Sophia. "She's sick. Really… sick. I don't think that Leti and Adele should hear this."

"Alright." Felipe sounded concerned, distracted from the news of Hyacinths in his territory. "Leti, Adele - why don't you go into your room? There are your multi-coloured pebbles in there, for you to play with."

"Okay!" Leti exclaimed, before scampering off, followed by her little sister. Assuming that the two chicks couldn't hear their conversation, Roberto and Sophia began telling Felipe and Azalea about the sick Orange-Winged Amazon, and the incident between him, Bromeliad, Sophia, and Jewel, where they suspected that Jewel had caught it. They told them about Jewel's strange behaviour and symptoms, how Jewel had collapsed and fallen into unconsciousness - they also told them about the black wound. By the end of it, the two macaws looked alarmed and disturbed.

"My goodness." Whispered Azalea, her feathers rising. "That's why you want to see Maite and Miguel."

"Yes." Roberto nodded quickly. "We need the cure to her disease, and our healers are useless."

"Felipe, Azalea." Said a voice, making them jump. Ricardo and Lena stood in the entrance, accompanied by Maite. "Miguel's just sorting out the herb store, but Maite's available."

"Thank you - you'd better come in, Maite." Azalea said, indicating them to sit down. "Roberto and Sophia have a sick friend…" Azalea nodded at them, indicating that they explain. Roberto and Sophia retold the story to Maite; but when they listed the symptoms, Maite's face filled with dread.

"The _Morte Incomum?"_ Maite asked in a high-pitched voice. "Why, that… there's only been half a dozen cases in recent centuries…"

"Just tell us now." Roberto pleaded, staring at Maite. "What is the cure? Do you have it?" Maite didn't reply for several moments. But by the glazed look in the Green-Winged macaw's eyes, they all knew what she was going to say before she even said it.

"There is no cure." Maite admitted, her voice barely audible. It took a few moments for these words to register in Roberto and Sophia's brains, a few moments for them to really sink in. Finally, Sophia found words.

"…What?" Sophia had to grab her mate for support. "No… you must be mistakened. She's got a mate, three kids… do you even know what she went through, when we were all young?" Sophia shivered, and she had to fight the tears springing to her eyes. "She lost her family. Her tribe, her home… for _nineteen years. _When she came home last year, she told me how many times she's cheated death in her can't tell us now that there isn't a cure for this." Sophia looked at her mate to see his reaction. Roberto had sunk to the floor, his face buried into his wings, and he wasn't making a sound. Sophia knew what he was thinking. Jewel had been his best friend, when they were younger. He had danced in the 'Beautiful Creatures' that had celebrated Jewel's hatching, and he had taught Jewel how to fly. Losing Jewel? Unthinkable.

"Hey, daddy, mommy!" Leti, all bashfulness gone, ran into the hollow, followed by Adele. They had been eavesdropping, and they had an idea. The two began bouncing up and down, barely able to contain their excitement. "What was that story you told us, the other day? About that thing! Wouldn't that cure her?" Roberto and Sophia quickly looked up, as the words reached their ears.

"Leticia, don't be silly." Felipe scolded. "No one believes in such stories..."

"You don't." Maite pointed out. "I do, however - some myths aren't necessarily untrue." Maite looked away, a distant look entering her blue eyes.

"Myth?" Sophia asked, feeling a little bit of hope igniting. "I believe in some myths. Why… what is this, myth?"

"It's a story known by our tribe and the Blue-and-Golds." Azalea began to explain. "It's ancient. Some think it's not real, but… some of us believe it's true, myself included. Alright. I'll tell you the story."


	11. False hope

Some minutes after Roberto and Sophia left, a dozen Scarlet and Green-Winged macaws flew into the Kapoks - three of the dozen were unconscious, hanging from their battered companions' talons. All twelve were covered in bruises, scratches, and they looked beaten and exhausted. Gasps of horror sounded from the trees, and the air was filled with red streaks as macaws rushed down to the twelve. The dozen were ushered to the small Kapok that served as Maite and Miguel's infirmary and herb store. Miguel and Maite were talking outside, but the mass of tribe mates approaching caught their attention. The two healers looked shocked beyond belief.

"What in the name of…" Miguel's beak gaped. "What on earth happened to all of you?"

"What do you think?" mumbled one of them, who was struggling to fly. He was clutching a ragged, navy blue feather. "The Hyacinths happened."

"Right, all of you – no arguing - infirmary, right now." Maite ordered. With that, the dozen injured were all sat against the wall while Maite and Miguel began running around their herb store, looking for the plants that stopped bleeding, healed wounds, and other things they needed. Someone rushed off to alert Felipe and Azalea. Before Maite could run back to her patients, Miguel took her shoulder, stopping her.

"Looks like Johanna's their only option." Miguel murmured, and Maite knew that he was talking about Roberto and Sophia. Injuries were so rare in the Blue-and-Golds - of course Johanna would be able to take care of Jewel. Alejandro was the patriarch, so it wouldn't be left without a leader - and Johanna was selfless enough to help. Maite's plan had been to leave Miguel in charge while she assisted the Spix's macaws, but with injuries being common in their tribe, they couldn't afford one less healer.

"You're right." Maite replied. "I'll get someone to go over and find Johanna."

"Things like this are getting more regular, Maite." Miguel's brown eyes turned dark. "This happened once, with the Glaucous macaw tribe. They were driven out… and they haven't been seen ever since."

_Meanwhile_

Bia bursted into the hollow, landing clumsily on the floor. A few seconds later, Azure and Bromeliad appeared, gasping for breath. Bia looked up, and saw her brother, sister, and friends, all looking anxious: Carla was pacing, restless, while Tiago was sitting, staring at nothing in particular, looking worried sick; Orchid had her wings draped around Tiago, her head resting on his shoulder, looking tense; Isaac's wings were wrapped around his head; and Bruno was chewing on his wing-tips. "Where's mom?" Bia spluttered, clutching her side. Carla whirled round.

"They won't let us in!" she almost wailed. Bia stared at her older sister, before looking at the room she could hear whispering from. Nobody used that room - it had been too dark to really be of much use, and it was full of spider webs. Climbing plants fell over the entrance, but she could see a slight gap, and several blue forms. Bia wasn't taking Carla's reply for an answer, however. She needed to see her mother.

"Stuff that!" Bia exclaimed, pushing past Carla and running up to the climbing plant. She seized the plant, pulling it open like a curtain. Eduardo, Mimi, and Blu's bodies hid Jewel from view, but Bia could hear unsteady breathing, a few coughs. "Mom." Bia whispered. She felt her brother and sister looking over her wings, to get a look, and the shuffling of feet told her that their friends were shuffling behind them, also trying to look in. Eduardo, Mimi, and Blu turned around, but Eduardo stretched out both wings, shielding Jewel from view. He clearly didn't want them to see the state of her.

"Eduardo…" Mimi said, quietly. "Let them see their mom. She wants to see them, anyway." Mimi looked her great-nieces and nephew up and down. "You don't have any open wounds, do you?"

"No." said the two sisters and the brother, in unison, before entering the room. Bruno, Isaac, Azure, Orchid and Bromeliad stood in the entrance, feeling it inappropriate to crowd Jewel.

"Hi, kids." Whispered Jewel, in a feeble voice that shocked the trio. They had never heard her use that tone of voice before. It sounded so fragile. The whites of Jewel's eyes were red, and her turquoise irises looked unusually pale. She was shivering slightly, as if she was cold, but her feathers were damp and dark from sweat. They were horrified when they noticed a black wound on the bottom of Jewel's foot, and there was red in the corner of her beak. _What happened to you? _All three teenagers thought.

"M-mom…" Tiago stammered, looking shaken. "What… happened?" Jewel stared at her three children, trying to find the strength to tell them.

"I…" Jewel began, but she couldn't finish. Blu swept his wing in front of the three, pushing them back, as Jewel began spluttering and coughing. Bia, Carla, and Tiago looked down, seeing red specks on the floor, where they had been standing just seconds before. Alarmed, they looked up at their father, and they were startled when they saw how he looked. The usually calm Blu looked frantic beyond belief, his brown eyes filled with panic and something else: pure terror. None of the three had ever seen such a look. Jewel's eyes glazed with pain, before she closed them, and turned over, her back to them all.

"Your mother needs some rest." said Eduardo, in a shaking voice they had never heard him use before. "Roberto and Sophia just went to Felipe's tribe, to get the cure from Maite and Miguel. They'll be back soon, so we should leave Jewel to sleep." But Carla, Bia, and Tiago didn't move. They couldn't take their eyes off Jewel. "Kids, just… go outside." Without another word, Eduardo pushed the three out, and closed the plant curtain, leaving them speechless.

_Later_

"Guys." Said a flat, dead-sounding voice. Eduardo and Mimi looked up, drowsily. They looked at their sick loved one; Jewel was lying, unconscious yet again, with Blu asleep on the floor. Jewel kept drifting in and out of unconsciousness, and it was making both Eduardo and Mimi beside themselves with worry. To contribute to the unease, Blu didn't seem to care that he could catch the illness, being so close to Jewel.

The voice had come from Roberto, who was standing in the entrance. His tone was shocking to Eduardo and Mimi - he had only used that voice in the days after Tia had died, when Jewel had gone missing. Sophia looked just as depressed, her eyes dull and hollow, and she looked like she might start crying any minute. They looked mournful. "Eduardo, Mimi." Roberto said. "We need to talk. Don't wake Blu up." Eduardo and Mimi looked at each other, rather puzzled - they were even more so confused when they noticed that Roberto and Sophia were empty-taloned. Where was the cure?

The four quietly walked past the three sleeping forms of Bia, Carla, and Tiago - it had taken hours for them to finally drift off. Isaac, Bromeliad, Orchid and Azure had gone back to the tree for an uneasy sleep, and Tobias and Isabella had called Bruno away, for it was getting late. Roberto and Sophia flew up to the higher branches of Blu and Jewel's tree. As soon as the leader and advisor had joined them, Roberto and Sophia braced themselves for their news. "There's something we have to tell you." Sophia confessed, in a wobbly, brittle voice.

Roberto and Sophia then explained everything - their visit to the Reds, their conversation with Maite - and the matter of the cure. As the talk went on, Eduardo and Mimi's expressions changed, the emotions vanishing until there was nothing left - nothing but fear and something the two younger macaws couldn't place. The two looked speechless, not believing their ears. Tears began to stream from Mimi's eyes, and within a moment, Mimi was gone, weeping. Eduardo hadn't moved - he was as still as a stone.

"But the myth!" Sophia exclaimed, sounding desperate. "The myth… its Jewel's only chance!" finally, Eduardo blinked. But then fury entered his eyes, to their surprise.

"Myths…" Eduardo snarled. "Myths do not exist. They are stories for the chicks and the naïve." The rage on his face then increased, making both Roberto and Sophia cower. "False hope!" Eduardo almost shouted. "I expected more of you. You should know better, than to tell me that the only cure is something that does not exist!" Without a word, Eduardo turned, and flew away in silence. As soon as he flew out of earshot of the two, the other tribe members, sleeping in their trees, stirred as they heard the weeping of a male bird. Meanwhile, Roberto and Sophia were left standing there, alone, bewildered by Eduardo's furious outburst. After several moments, Sophia trembled slightly, before a sob escaped her throat.

"He's right," she sobbed, heavily. "How could we believe in a _myth?_ How could we have clung onto false hope? It's too unbelievable to be real."

In the branches below, a small, hazel-eyed girl was standing, unable to move. She had heard every single word. Horrified by what she now knew, she raced back into the tree, calling, frantically, for her brother and sister.

A few minutes later, in Roberto and Sophia's tree, there was the sleeping form of their four teenagers. Isaac was lying, propped against the wall, snoring; Bromeliad was sleeping, her head tucked elegantly under her wing; whereas Orchid was sprawled out on the floor, her wings folded under her chin like a pillow. Azure, meanwhile, was gazing up at the moon, from where it shone in through a large hole in the tree trunk. He had just woken up about a minute ago, but in his sleep, he was sure that he heard somebody crying. He was also certain that he saw Carla, racing away across the ravine, headed for Bruno's tree. Why would she be racing over there, at this time of night? Speaking of lateness, where were his mother and father?

The moon was then blocked out as two silhouettes appeared, in the tree trunk gap. He could immediately tell that it was Bia and Tiago. Why were they here, at this time of night?

"Bia, Tiago?" Azure said. His voice awoke his sisters and brother, for the three began yawning, and blinking drowsily at the two silhouettes. Orchid sat up, smiling at Tiago - but then her smile disappeared as she saw both his and Bia's faces. Tear droplets were trickling down the two's faces.

"What happened?" Bromeliad asked, her feathers spiking up. She and Isaac rose to their talons, looking at Azure and Orchid. Azure immediately stood, sweeping over to Bia and Tiago - his first concern was his girlfriend. Azure stopped in front of Bia, reaching up to touch her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Bia didn't speak - her face only crinkled up as she fought off tears, but she couldn't hold them back. She began sobbing, unable to fight them off. Azure was shocked – Bia was sensitive, but never had she cried like this. "Hey!" he said, in a soothing voice, gathering her in his wings. Bia's wings were thrown around him, and she was weeping into his chest. _What's wrong? _Azure wanted to ask, but he knew that she would be unable to reply. Consumed with worry, Azure looked at Tiago, whose eyes were, while they were spilling tears, blank. He looked traumatized. Orchid was looking up into his eyes, speaking in a low, quiet voice, obviously trying to get him to talk to her.

"Tiago, talk to me." Orchid said, urgently. "What's the matter?" she had never seen Tiago cry before - something had to be wrong. "Is it… Jewel?" she asked, quietly. At this, Azure, Isaac and Bromeliad looked at their youngest sister. Bia shifted in Azure's wings, and then they knew that she was able to speak. They all looked at her, waiting - waiting for an answer. But nothing could've prepared them for what Bia said.

"Mom's dying." Bia whispered.


	12. Who's with me?

"I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, Carli." Bruno said, quietly.

"What will we do, Bruno?" Carla whispered, in a strangled voice, burying her face into her wings. She leaned on Bruno, hugging her knees. "What will happen to my family? The tribe? We'll fall apart." That was true. Jewel was one of the most respected and beloved macaws in the entire tribe. The devastation would be terrible - she had already been lost before. Bruno was too shocked to believe it himself - he was hoping that this was just some horrible dream. Carla's kindly, sweet mother - was going to die within a few weeks? He felt like crying himself. Jewel was so young - far too young, too innocent. It wasn't fair. His parents were friends with Jewel, had been her friends growing up - how would they feel, about the news? How would Eduardo tell the tribe that their heiress was going to die?

When Eduardo retired, Jewel, as the eldest and only child, would become the tribe's leader, with Blu at her side. But if Jewel died… who would take Eduardo's place? And, more worryingly - there was the question of Blu. Carla had told Bruno of Blu and Jewel's love story, shortly after they first met. Blu would rather leap out of a plane, unable to fly, than live without Jewel. If Jewel died - would he be able to live without her?

Tobias and Isabella had told Bruno that when Tia died, Eduardo had gone into a long period of grief that had lasted for over a year. He had been so depressed, that Mimi had had to take care of the position of leader until he finally snapped out of his trance and pulled himself together. The scars of his loss were still with him now, however, twenty years on.

But Blu was much more sensitive, more soft-hearted than Eduardo. How would he cope with losing the macaw he loved so dearly? If the hard-as-rocks Eduardo became depressed, what would happen to Blu? Bruno had heard stories of macaws committing suicide when their mates died, unable to cope. Bruno felt a sickening feeling. He could picture tribe members asking where Blu had gone, after Jewel was pronounced dead. He could imagine a body being found in the river, and he felt sickened by that thought.

_No. I won't let that happen. Carla, Bia and Tiago can't become orphans. _He looked down his best friend, whom he loved. _You deserve so much better._ _There has to be something we can do… _Something then dawned upon him - there was one thing Carla had mentioned to him, when she had been reciting Bia's words. _It may sound dubious… but if there's nothing else that can save Jewel, what other choice do we have? _

"Get up, Carla." Bruno said. Carla looked up, confusion crossing her expression.

"What?" she asked, sniffing heavily and wiping her wing across her eyes.

"Carla - tell me." Bruno took Carla's wings in his own. He was determined. He wasn't letting Carla's heart be broken - she didn't deserve that, and neither did the rest of her family. This was the final option - the only option left. It sounded crazy, but it was the last and only resort. "You mentioned a myth."

"Yes… that's what Bia told me… Roberto and Sophia were telling grandpa and Mimi…" Carla's voiced faded, and she frowned. "What are you getting at, Bruno?" they looked at each other. Carla blinked, staring up at him; then Bruno saw something light within her emerald eyes. "Bruno? Do you… believe in myths?"

"Some of them." He answered. Bruno looked at Carla for a long time, before speaking again. "Where's your sister, Carla?"

_Later_

Bia stared at the ground, tears making her vision blurry. Tiago sat a foot from her, the same way. It was the middle of the night, and they were still in Roberto and Sophia's tree - where the tree's owners were right now was a mystery. Maybe they had left the ravine, to get to grips with the reality of Jewel's diagnosis.

Azure, Isaac, Bromeliad and Orchid were sitting around them, looking just as depressed as they were. They had been sitting here in silence for an hour, trying to find the courage to speak to each other, to offer words of comfort, but couldn't find any. _My kids'll grow up with one less grandmother, _Bia thought, and this only added to her distraught.

Did Blu know about Jewel's diagnosis yet? Had Roberto, Sophia, Eduardo and Mimi found the courage to tell him? Bia didn't want to know how Blu would react - she didn't want to find out. Bia wondered where Carla was - she needed her sister now, more than ever, but she wasn't here. The moment Bia had broken the news to Carla and Tiago, Carla had bursted into tears, before fleeing the tree, clearly going to find Bruno, seek comfort from him. Just as Bia was thinking this over, Carla's voice sounded from behind them.

"Mom's not going to die." Carla said. All of the six looked up, to see Carla and Bruno standing in the nest entrance. Carla's face was still tear-stained, but unlike her younger brother and sister, there was a look of determination and hope on her face. Bia and Tiago looked at each other, confused - Bia had heard what Roberto and Sophia said. Jewel had a few weeks at the most to live.

"What?" sniffed Tiago, rubbing his eyes. Carla and Bruno entered the hollow, before sitting down.

"Bruno's got an idea." Carla announced, her wings crossed. Everyone exchanged glances, and shifted closer, so that they could hear more clearly. She turned to Bruno, nodding. "Go on." she urged. Bruno nodded at her, before turning to Bia.

"Bia - when you were eavesdropping on Roberto, Sophia, Eduardo, and Mimi - you mentioned a myth."

"Yes." Bia murmured. "The Red tribe's matriarch told Roberto and Sophia about it…" Bia could tell what Bruno was getting at - but it was silly. How could he think that it was real? "But it's a myth, Bruno. They're just stories…"

"Not necessarily." Bruno insisted. "Some are real. Go on, Bia - tell us. What was the myth about?" Bia looked at the others, expecting to see disbelief of a 'myth'; but, to her surprise, there was a glimmer of interest. _You seriously think that a myth has the potential of being real? _She thought. Azure wrapped a wing around her shoulders.

"Go on, Beatriz." He said her full name in a gentle, encouraging voice. Bia's actual name was 'Beatriz'; her parents had argued over 'Beatriz' and 'Bianca', when she was born, but then they realized that the first three letters of 'Bianca' could also be a nickname of 'Beatriz.' It was a wonderful alternative. Bia looked up, into Azure's eyes. His blue eyes, with their amber dash in one, were comforting to Bia. Just one look into those eyes made the pain she was feeling dull down a bit. It wouldn't hurt to tell them the myth, would it?

"Fine." Bia sighed. "It could take a few minutes to explain, though." Bia looked at Azure again, and he nodded. "Okay." She murmured. "The myth is known as 'The Estrella.' As we all know, 'Estrella' means 'star' in Spanish -"

"Does it?" Tiago interrupted. Bia rolled her hazel eyes.

"Pay attention in Mimi's Spanish lessons, little brother. As I was saying, this myth is called 'The Estrella', because it starts with a shooting star." This beginning sentence had been enough to seize everyone's attention. "Just over a thousand years ago, a comet burned up in the atmosphere - but it was no normal shooting star. It was special." Bia paused, looking at her friends, wondering that they didn't believe it - but they were clinging onto every detail. Bia's voice grew more confident as she went on. _I suppose the tale's not entirely ludicrous._ "Just over South America, a tiny fragment of this comet got through the atmosphere, and landed somewhere in Peru. Peru, I know - but hear it out. This part of the comet, made of ice and some kind of special stone, landed, and from it, there supposedly grew a few special plants. It was either a fruit or a flower, I can't remember. As it was born from a shooting star, it was named the 'Estrella -' and yes, Tiago, it means 'star' in Spanish. But this is no ordinary plant. When it's ingested by the patient, it can heal anything." At this, her friends began whispering. "Literally any injury, any illness. The Estrella is said to only make itself visible to those who need it most. But macaws have searched for it several times, out of curiosity - and they never found it." Silence spread over everyone - it was a long while until anyone spoke again.

"It could exist." Murmured Orchid, in a hushed voice. "It doesn't sound ridiculously false…" she shook her head, as if shaking off her doubt of the Estrella's existence. "'Visible to those who need it most?' Maybe those who tried to find it didn't have a fatally ill or injured companion."

"Fair point - Bia did say it was 'out of curiosity'…" Bromeliad was nodding, but she still looked reluctant to believe the tale. "But… Peru? That must be miles away!"

"Peru… it's not as far as it sounds." Isaac commented. "It's not as far as you'd think."

"How would you know?" asked Azure, in mild surprise. Isaac looked at his younger brother, shrugging.

"Do you remember when all eight of us went onto that boat, a couple of weeks back? We spoke to Rafael, Pedro and Nico on the foam, or whatever that thing's called…"

"Phone." Carla corrected Isaac.

"Yes." Isaac nodded. "There was a map on the wall, of South America. I gave it a quick scan, found Rio and where we are now - then I looked at the countries around the Amazon, compared the distances. Surprisingly, Peru is almost equal to the same length as here to Rio, maybe even a bit less, depending on how deep you go into Peru." When they stared at him, Isaac shrugged. "I'm very observant, you see."

"It's shorter than the distance between here and Rio, and that journey takes a couple of weeks at the most… you, Isaac, are brilliant." Said Azure. He rose his wing, and Isaac clapped his wing to his in a high-wing.

"Okay, I think that the best plan is to leave early tomorrow, without anyone knowing." Carla suggested. "We can't tell anyone. There's no way they'll let us leave - they would think it was pointless. Bia said that Eduardo refused to believe it, so he'll refuse to let us go. It's best if they never know. We should gather supplies - we'll need to find a map, maybe a clock and a compass…"

"We should be able to find those things on a boat tour…" Bruno suggested. Most of them began suggesting ideas, except for Bia and Tiago.

"Whoa, whoa -" Tiago held up his wings. "Hold on... Are we being serious? We're going to _Peru,_ for this 'Estrella'… and it might not even exist?"

"Come on, Tiago!" Orchid said, in a persuasive voice. "It does make sense. This so-called myth… it sounds so real."

"Guys?" Carla said, softly. Her eyes were welling up with tears again, as she looked at her friends and siblings. "There's nothing else that can cure mom. It's worth a try. What if we didn't decide to go… and it actually _does _exist? Then mom would have died, when there was a chance that she could live." Carla then stood up, blinking away her tears. "The Estrella could be mom's only chance of survival. It is her only chance of survival. I know, it could be a treacherous and pointless trip… but isn't it worth a try? Come on! Who's with me?" she exclaimed. Bruno immediately stood up. Bromeliad, Isaac, and Orchid soon followed. Azure was nodding to himself, before he rose; Tiago looked at them, reluctance in his brown eyes, before he sighed, standing up.

"So, we're doing the standing-up-in-agreement thing? Okay." He shrugged. "Peru, here we come." The seven looked at Bia, who was still sitting. Azure held out his wing to her, and she hesitated briefly.

"It's worth a try, Bia." Azure reasoned. Bia looked from his face to his outstretched wing - was it worth it? Bia looked at all her friends, wondering if it could be true. Myths were stories - not real… But then she remembered her sister's words. _Mom's only chance of survival. _Bia looked at Azure again, before reaching up, taking his wing, before she stood. Orchid, for the first time in a few hours, managed a smile.

"Ladies and gentleman." Orchid said. "We are going to Peru."


	13. Collecting supplies

"Alright, get what you need and hurry up, all of you." Carla muttered. Carla and Bia were perched, side-by-side, on a piece of metal that was peeling off the outside of the boat. Perched in the safety ring on their right, there was Azure and Isaac, while Bromeliad, Tiago, Orchid and Bruno were holding onto multiple ropes that were strung along the boat's side. While the three siblings looked at ease, their five companions looked less settled. They had been on a boat once, but not any other time; they were nervous around anything human as it was, since the negative message of humans had been drummed into their brains since they were young.

Most chicks in the wild were taught scary stories about humans, to keep them away from danger. Bruno, being the oldest of them all here - a few days or weeks older than Carla, Bia and Tiago - had been taught the most brutal stories. Since the kids and their parents had arrived in the Amazon, bringing change to the tribes and their ways, the new generation of chicks had been informed that not_ all_ humans were bad news, but they were advised to keep away from them just in case. Tobias and Isabella had told Bruno some pretty vile tales to keep him away from humans, but it turned out that these stories weren't all true; not every human who came to the rainforest wanted to 'slice off their wings'. It wasn't a nice story to be told, but many humans in the rainforest were bad news. It was a good way of staying safe.

The only really good humans were the indigenous Amazonians, or the employees at the Spix's Wing, a small building set up by Linda and Tulio in an abandoned, deforested area. It was the sanctuary headquarters, and a small hospital for injured animals that its employees encountered in the rainforest. Bia had gone once, with Azure and Orchid, when all three of them had been injured in the fire, months ago. It was on the edge of the sanctuary, which stretched for quite a few miles, also protecting Felipe, Johanna and Kerja's tribes from the touch of poachers and illegal loggers.

"Carla, it'll be fine. They're just tourists - the only thing they'll do is take photos of you." Tiago pointed out. "Go on - distract them while we have a look around the boat for supplies."

"Fine." Carla huffed, before flying up the boat side, and perching on one of the wooden bars that kept tourists from falling off the boat. The remaining seven looked at each other, before flying up the side, quite a few metres away. Carla, meanwhile, let out a squawk to get the attention of the tourists. Carla began to dance a bit, sweeping across the surface of the bar, her wings moving up and down as she danced. There was the pounding of sandals on the deck as tourists rushed over, their attention caught by the exotic bird, and there was the clicking of cameras. Meanwhile, a voice began speaking from a speaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to ask you all to stay at least two metres away from her - macaws can be bite-y little birds. According to our wildlife guide, we are passing by the Spix's macaw sanctuary, and this is one of the rare birds right now… once thought extinct in the wild for years, this species has proved us wrong and the known population was thought to be five until July 2014. Since their rediscovery, the population is now known to be a roughly a hundred and something or more…" while the tourists were dazzled by Carla's dancing, Bruno perched up on a rope, making sure that none of the tourists' kids tried to grab Carla. Tiago, Bromeliad and Orchid went in search of a compass, while Bia, Isaac and Azure began looking for a map of the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon stretched into Peru, Columbia and almost half a dozen other countries, as well as Brazil - they would probably be able to find a decent route.

While they searched for their equipment, it occurred to Bia that they'd need something carry all these things in, as well as the Estrella, if they ever found it. Blu's fanny pack was falling apart, and was therefore out of the question. She'd opened it at home, to see if it was worth taking any of the contents on the trip - but most of it was either unnecessary or half-broken. She'd even looked at the GPS, but the batteries had been long dead. Even if it still worked, bringing the GPS was a bad idea. Bia had lost count of how many times the stupid thing had gotten them lost, on her family's first trip to the Amazon - their arrival had been delayed by over a week because of it. Making a mental note of finding something to carry their supplies, Bia focused on finding a map.

Meanwhile, Bromeliad, Tiago and Orchid were squinting through the glass of the control room, where the boat captain was controlling the boat's progress. The control room was the best place to find a compass.

"Hey, is that a compass?" Bromeliad asked, pointing at something on the counter, just through the glass before them. It was - a small, silver, circular one, probably two inches wide, attached to a chain. There was a slowly moving red arrow, moving from _N, E, S, W _and the directions in-betweenas the boat travelled.

"Bingo." Said Tiago. "But the question is… how do we get it without being spotted?" they were stuck for ideas. But Bromeliad and Tiago were in for a shock, as Orchid suddenly dropped from no-where, landing on the counter through the glass. They gaped at her, wondering how she got in - but Orchid raised a talon to her beak, before she pointed upwards. Bromeliad and Tiago looked up, and Tiago knocked his talons against his head.

"Of course. A window." He sighed. Tiago then focused on Orchid, his heart drumming in his chest. She was watching the captain, nervous, her feathers spiking up; all the captain had to do was look ever so slightly to the right and see a macaw on the counter. Orchid was a few inches away from the silver compass, but every move brought her closer into the captain's view. Slowly, she reached forward, claws outstretched, before her toes slowly wrapped around the compass.

"Watch the chain!" Bromeliad whispered, as the chain made a still clinking sound. Orchid glared at her sister.

"I _know."_ She whispered back; but as Orchid turned around, spread her wings to fly for the window, she forgot about the chain. Orchid let out a squawk of alarm as she was sent flying, the chain wrapping around her ankles. As she fell, a few books, a stapler, and a half-filled mug of tea went with her, clattering onto the wooden floor with a loud _clunk. _Bromeliad covered her eyes, moaning softly.

"Sis." She groaned. Indubitably, the loud sound of crashing books and breaking porcelain had alerted the captain.

"_Quê__?"_ the human spun round, before he spotted the macaw_. "__Dios mío!" _he exclaimed, leaping to his feet and rushing at Orchid, shouting in Spanish. He seized a newspaper, swiping it at her - Orchid squawked in fear, before going on a flying frenzy, shooting around the control room while the newspaper flew at her. Tiago and Bromeliad were bewildered with shock, and trying not to laugh as the human chased the little bird. Since hearing Jewel's diagnosis, watching this humorous scene was up-lifting.

"Do something!" she shouted, through the glass. Orchid was shooting them angry looks, as she ducked the human's newspaper.

"What do we do?" Bromeliad shouted back, still holding back laughter. Orchid's blue eyes were darting around the control room as she avoided the newspaper's swipes, the captain's hand reaching for the silver compass in her claws. She finally perched on a high shelf, while the human looked for something long enough to swipe her with. She was pointing at a large, obvious escape route.

"Door!" Tiago exclaimed, realizing, before rushing at the handle. "Help me, Li!" he looked over his shoulder as he landed on the door handle. Most door handles weren't a problem to open, but this one was quite heavy-duty, and he struggled to open it by himself. Bromeliad quickly flew over to help him, yanking at the handle. The moment the door clicked open, Orchid came out of the room like a shooting star, the compass's chain still entangled in her talons. Bromeliad and Tiago made their getaway before the human spotted them, flying up after Orchid. The captain was shaking his fist, swearing in Spanish, before he grumbled, turning away and slamming the door shut.

"Oh, ha, very _amusing."_ Said Orchid, sarcastically, rolling her eyes, as Bromeliad and Tiago started laughing. "You two are so annoying, sometimes."

"Come on, Orchid." Tiago teased. "You should've seen yourself." Orchid still didn't look amused, glaring at him. Seeing that he may have offended her, Tiago quickly decided to apologise. "Hey, I'm sorry."

"Okay, okay." Bromeliad rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go find Bruno. Maybe Isaac, Bia and Azure have come back before we have, and we can leave as soon as possible. If in doubt, we can watch the show." Remembering that Carla was entertaining the tourists, keeping them distracted, Tiago and Orchid followed Bromeliad to the other side of the boat, landing on the rope beside Bruno.

"How's it going?" Tiago asked, as they landed. He casted a side-look at Orchid, and she still looked annoyed. Orchid was a bit highly-strung and sensitive, and she hated being embarrassed. He couldn't play tricks on her, because she'd be furious. He'd played a prank on her a few weeks ago, and Orchid had found it hard to forgive him. He didn't want to strain their relationship.

"Carla's doing great." Bruno replied, pointing. Five minutes on, and the tourists were still crowded around Carla, snapping photos. Carla actually looked as though she was enjoying the attention, and she looked relaxed and carefree.

"Where's Bia, Azure and Isaac?" Bromeliad asked, while they watched Carla.

"No idea." Bruno shrugged. "A good map's proving hard to find." Bruno was correct - Bia, Azure, and Isaac were having a difficult time finding a decent map.

"Why are things so difficult?" Azure complained, as they shifted through some boxes. They'd searched the boat up and down, with no map of decent size or detail. Most of the maps they found were just of the Brazilian Amazon - they needed one that showed the Peruvian Amazon. The map Isaac had observed a few weeks ago was far too large, so they needed one that wouldn't be a pain to open and fold.

"It's always the way, bro." Isaac replied, tossing a book about Amazonian fish aside. Bia let out a squeak as it hit her on the back, sending her flying forwards. "Sorry, Bia!" Isaac exclaimed, in an apologetic voice, before extending a wing to help her to her feet.

"Don't be sorry, Isaac!" Bia then said, looking at the book she'd landed on. "I think I've found what we're looking for." Azure and Isaac looked at each other, before looking over Bia's shoulders to see what she'd found. Bia picked up the book - it was an atlas, a little battered and it's spine showing wear. Bia opened it, scanning the contents page for South America - finally, she found it, and flipped to the pages. "I sure hope this has one of the entire Amazon." She muttered - it was that, or she'd have to figure out the computer's password, and find something on the internet. Thankfully, there was indeed what they wanted - a very in-depth map of the entire Amazon, spanning into countries outside Brazil. There was then an entire map of Peru - perfect. "Sorry, atlas owner." Bia mused, as she ripped the pages from the book.

"Awesome." Said Azure, holding up the pages. "Whoa, this is so cool - the Amazon is so big!" Azure showed it to Isaac, whose eyes widened with awe. While they examined the map, Bia remembered that they'd need something to carry their supplies in - luckily for her, there was a sack a few feet away. With her claws, Bia tore off a suitable-sized piece of the sack - the entire one was far too big. She'd be able to fix it up, no problem - a vine to tie it closed. Satisfied that they had everything they needed, Bia turned around. "Ready to go?"

"Yes," Azure said, tearing his gaze away from the map. "Let's get out of here." The trio flew out of the room, with Bia holding the sack, and Azure holding the atlas pages. Isaac let out an alerting squawk, and Bruno, Tiago, Orchid and Bromeliad spotted them emerging from the deck.

"We're outta here." Tiago said, fluffing out his feathers. "Carla! We're going!" he squawked, as the perched four lifted into flight.

"Coming!" Carla replied. She turned to her audience, did a bow - before she whirled around, and flew away. Before she vanishing into the jungle, Carla performed a somersault, much to the tourists' awe. The horizon was beginning to darken, and the sky was turning pinkish-orange.

It was nearing sunset - they'd been out of the ravine all day, wanting to avoid being told that Jewel was dying. They'd been hiding out in Carla and Bruno's club, which was closed until further notice. Carla and Bruno had etched an apology onto the piece of stone they used to block the entrance, when it was shut. The message read: _Dear our loyal partiers: we're sorry to announce that we will be closed until further notice. The club will be closed for a few weeks to a month or more, due to a private matter. We ask you to wish us luck, and we promise to make it up to you when we reopen by giving you some fresh, new music that will give your soul a pair of wings. See you soon. Love, Carla and Bruno. X_

Had Blu been told about Jewel's fate? They didn't know, but it couldn't have been today - they'd passed some tribe mates earlier, but they hadn't said a word or casted them a second glance. If Blu had been informed, they'd tell them. Maybe he'd be told later on, but they didn't want to be there to see his reaction. They'd leave after nightfall, when everyone was asleep.

When they reached the closed club, the eight entered through a secret entrance, to spare them the exhaustion of pushing the rock out of the way. While the others began discussing the plan, Bia sat down at the side, fiddling with the piece of sack and a vine. But she seemed distracted, her eyes not on her progress. Azure looked over his shoulder, seeing her looking distant, before he got up and sat next to her, looping a wing around her.

"Hey." He said, in a soft voice. "You okay?" Bia looked up at him, before she sighed, dropping the vine. She put her wings over her face.

"Worried." Bia admitted. "I… what if this is all for nothing? Shouldn't we be cherishing the time we have left with her, rather than going on this… this wild goose chase? Peru's huge, Az - dangerous, wild. And we're looking for this one small thing. How will we find it in a country like Peru?" Azure looked at the girl he loved so dearly. To his surprise, he thought of a reply easily.

"It won't be all for nothing." He murmured. "Bia… I don't want you to lose your mom. If I lost mine… I don't know what I'd do. I don't want you to feel this sort of pain. Sure, Peru's massive - but we'll find it somehow, you'll see. I promise you, Bia, that we'll save Jewel, one way or another. There's always a cure." Azure looked into her hazel eyes, before he gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Just don't give up hope, Beatriz."


	14. Saying goodbye

Bruno felt a pang of reluctance as he watched the sleeping form of Tobias and Isabella, who had no idea that their son was about to vanish. "Bye, mom, dad." He whispered, staring at them for the last time for a few weeks. He'd miss them terribly, and he knew that they'd be furious with him, for leaving without their permission - but this was important. Now that he had nothing to do but wait, Bruno perched in their meeting spot, a ledge in the clay licks. He watched the two trees - Roberto and Sophia's, Blu and Jewel's, where his friends were looking at their parents for the last time. While there was no sign of Bia, Carla and Tiago, he could see four blue forms flitting about Roberto and Sophia's tree. In the quietness of the ravine, and from his close position, he could hear their voices clearly.

"I'm telling you, Isaac - they're not here."

"Come on, Orchid - where else could they be? Keep searching."

"She's right, bro - mom and dad aren't in. Bromeliad, any sign?"

"No, Azure. I don't understand it - where are they?" Bruno frowned, hearing the four siblings' conversations. Roberto and Sophia weren't there? It was night; they had to be asleep, in their home. Bruno tried to think of where else they could be. They couldn't be outside the ravine at this time of night. A new thought then occurred to him. _Unless..._ Bruno looked toward the second largest tree in the ravine, before taking flight, silently making his way toward his patriarch's home. Sure enough, his suspicions were confirmed as he reached it, hearing Roberto and Sophia's voices. Bruno, concealed by vines, peeked through a gap.

Roberto and Sophia's backs were to him, facing someone in the shadows. It had to be Eduardo, because a shaft of moonlight casted over the top of his military-style head feathers. Through the dark, Bruno couldn't see his face. Sitting to the side was Mimi, her blue eyes blank of emotion. She looked drained, grey circles prominent beneath her eyes. Bruno had never seen Mimi look that way - it was, quite literally, beyond belief. Of course, who could blame her? She was about to lose her beloved niece for a second time, and this time, it was permanent.

"We understand your reluctance, Eduardo, and we're sorry. But he has to know sooner or later. We can tell Bia, Carla and Tiago tomorrow - Blu has the right to know first." Roberto said, quietly.

"I… I know, it's hard… but it's unfair of us to keep lying to him, that Jewel'll get better, when she won't." Sophia's voice kept breaking off, and she kept drawing her wing across her face, probably to wipe away tears. "Maite and Miguel visited us today - they've asked Johanna to come over and take care of her, in the time she has. Do you want us to tell him for you? Or do you want to?" There was a long, tense moment of silence - before Bruno heard the dragging of feet across the floor, and the form of Eduardo moved, probably to stand up. Bruno knew exactly what Roberto and Sophia had been telling Eduardo - it was cruel to keep lying to Blu. The truth had to come out. _They're going to tell Blu - we have to go, now. _If they found Carla, Bia and Tiago in the tree too, they'd probably tell them while they were there.

Bruno turned, and flew back in direction of the way he came. "Guys!" he called, as he reached Roberto and Sophia's tree, as swiftly as he could. When he reached the tree, Bruno found the four looking around the nest - poking their heads into every room, scanning each branch, for any sign of their parents. "We're out of time. Time to go."

"What?" Isaac began to protest. "We haven't seen mom and dad yet -"

"They're on their way to tell Blu." Bruno interrupted, silencing him. "We've got to leave, now."

"Oh, _shoot."_ Azure looked dismayed - he had wanted to have one last look at his mother and father before their departure. He looked around, hesitating, before sighing. "Okay, let's go, quickly, before they tell Blu. We're out of here."

"Where you going?" said a new voice, making them all jump. A young girl was standing in the entrance, her long, wavy head feathers white in the light of the moon. The owners of the feathers were unmistakable - Elsa was the only one with head feathers longer than Roberto, Azure, and Isaac's. It was extraordinary - Manuela's were very short, more like a mere stub than anything else, and Carlos's feathers weren't exactly that long. Juan and Augustus were similar, but Elsa's feathers almost went half-way down her back. _For goodness sake, you nosy kid! _Bromeliad couldn't help thinking. Elsa couldn't keep to her own business; it would surely get her into trouble some day.

"Elsa!" Orchid hissed, her wing over her heart, for the sight of Elsa had frightened her. "Go home, for goodness sake." She demanded. Elsa's ice-blue eyes flashed, indignantly.

"Why?" she challenged.

"We haven't got time, Elsa." Bruno insisted, looking at the others. "Go back before I tell Carlos and Manuela."

"Oh, _please._ Why does everyone cut me out of things?" Elsa complained, crossing her wings. "Everything's so _secretive! _Honestly, I _don't _cause trouble wherever I go - I'm not a flying disaster. I know where you're going, I've been watching you, all day." The five became silent, as they stared at the chick. Elsa had been spying on them?

"You're lying…" Bromeliad tried to say.

"No, I'm _not."_ Elsa protested; and they all knew that she was telling the truth. "You went on that boat, for a 'compass' and a 'map', whatever those are. You've been hiding in the club all day, talking about how you're going to - Peru? Was it?"

"Don't ever eavesdrop on us, Elsa." Isaac snapped. "Elsa, we don't have time for this. Jewel's life depends on it."

"Go home and don't tell anyone. I'm assuming you know what's up with Jewel, because you can't keep your beak out of anyone's business." Orchid looked at Elsa, with hard eyes. _Manners, little sister, _Azure thought. Orchid needed to watch what she said sometimes.

"Look, we've got to _go." _Bromeliad urged, looking outside. There were four forms standing outside Eduardo's nest - they were on their way to tell Blu. "Elsa, just go home, _please._ We'll bring you back a Peruvian souvenir, if it'll make you go away."

"Don't be stupid." Elsa snorted. "I'm not that childish. Fine, I'll _go. _But keep in mind that your parents have no idea where you're going. To their knowledge, you have no idea about Jewel - they'll think something's happened to you. I'll tell them for you, if you like." Muttering, Elsa turned, before she vanished.

"Finally, that's sorted." Azure shook his plumage. "Come on, let's grab Bia, Carla, and Tiago and get out of here." But as Bromeliad followed her siblings and Bruno, it dawned upon her that Elsa had a point. Roberto and Sophia didn't know that they knew about Jewel, or the Estrella. If they vanished, they could assume that something had happened - the Hyacinths made the idea of that worse. If Elsa really did tell Roberto and Sophia, would they believe her? Elsa was only a few months old - the same age Bia, Carla and Tiago had been, when they first came to the Amazon. She was young, immature - what were the chances they'd believe Elsa's story? An idea entered Bromeliad's head.

Meanwhile, Bia, Carla, and Tiago were sitting there, staring through the climbing plant. Jewel was lying there, immobile other than her laboured breathing. Blu was staring at her, with fearful eyes, whispering to himself. Praying that she recover. He was praying to Tia - he didn't know much about his deceased mother-in-law, but she had been a good macaw. Surely, she'd be watching over Jewel, keeping her safe. While Blu prayed, the trio heard a squawk from outside - the signal. They were leaving now? They all looked at each other, stricken.

Tiago stared through the leaves for one final time, for many moments, as he stared at Jewel. Then he screwed his eyes closed, and turned, flying outside. Carla was holding back tears, cherishing what could be her final glance of Jewel alive, before she pressed her wing to her beak, closed her eyes, and extended her wing, blowing a kiss at her parents. "Bye." She whispered, before turning, and leaving the hollow, leaving Bia alone. Bia's heart almost broke as she looked at Jewel. Her final moments of seeing her mom - alive. Would they make it home in time? And, if they did, with a cure? Bia looked at Blu. Maybe this was the final time she'd see him sane. Losing Jewel would destroy him.

"I love you both, to the moon and back." Bia whispered. "Hang on. We'll see you in a few weeks." Before leaving, Bia ran up to her room, grabbing their bag of supplies; she'd added her drawing pad, a few pencils - she'd drawn accurate sketches of her family and friends, with the detail, tone, shading and everything, all in pencils. They could all look through it on the journey; see their family members, their friends back home. Bia seized a charcoal pencil, and then she tore off a small piece of paper, from the unmarked pages of one of her books. Scribbling a word onto it, Bia left it in her sleeping niche, where it would surely be found. Bia then whirled round, and ran out of her room. Before leaving, she had one final look into the room. Ripping her gaze away from Blu and Jewel, Bia followed her brother and sister up to the ledge, their agreed meeting place. While Bia left the tree, four forms arrived at it, a few seconds after she left. They hesitated briefly, before going inside.

"Blu." Said Mimi, in a soft voice. Blu looked up, drowsy. Jewel, still unconscious, didn't respond to her aunt's voice.

"What is it?" he said, looking at them all. They all looked terrified of something; Eduardo and Mimi looked years older than they were, Sophia was trying not to weep, and Roberto was looking away, crest feathers cloaked over his eyes, hiding his face from view. Something was clearly wrong. "Guys." Blu said, standing up. "What's going on?" he asked, warily. Roberto walked up to his friend, putting a wing around him, and leading him outside, away from his sick mate.

"You might want to sit down."Roberto suggested, in a mournful voice that shocked Blu. "It's about Ju-Ju."

Meanwhile, Bia was the last one to arrive, the small bag in her talons. Her friends greeted her in a friendly manner, but they all looked nervous. It was the commencing of a long, hazardous journey - Bia couldn't blame the nerves dancing in their eyes. "Okay," she said. "I've plotted where we need to go - west." She pulled out the atlas pages and the compass from the bag, showing them all their current location. She'd gone onto the computers at the Spix's Wing, when the employees hadn't been there - she'd discovered the ravine's location, and drawn it onto their map. She placed her talon on the small 'X' she had drawn. "From here, we fly -"

"Wait," Bromeliad interrupted. She looked at them all, with nervous, ocean-blue eyes. "Can I just say something, before you all go?"

"Of course." Bia nodded, but then she was confused. "What do you mean, _you? _Don't you mean _we?" _Bia, along with everyone else, turned to look at Bromeliad. "You…" Bia frowned. "You're not coming?"

"No way!" Orchid protested, staring at her older sister. "You have to come, Li! I mean - why not?" Bromeliad put out a wing, touching her on the shoulder.

"Orchid, Elsa had a point." She pointed out.

"Elsa?" Tiago repeated, and the others, beside himself and his two sisters, nodded.

"She's been spying on us." Bruno admitted. "She knows everything." The trio stared at the other five, bewildered.

"Why, that sneaky, meddlesome chick." Carla muttered. Bruno rolled his eyes, clearly still annoyed with how Carla thought of Augustus and his relatives. _Deal with it - you should learn to forgive. Elsa's annoying, true, but she's not a villain. Stop acting like that family is bad news. Just because Gus once made a mistake doesn't mean he's automatically cursed._

"She said that no-one will know where we've gone - to their knowledge, we don't know anything about the Estrella. They had no idea Bia eavesdropped on them." Bromeliad explained. "They'll think something's happened to us all. She offered to tell them, but… who would believe her? She's only a kid, after all."

"I see what you're getting at." Azure said, turning to Bromeliad. "Someone has to stay behind to tell them the truth, where we're going." Silence. "So… it's gonna be you?"

"Yeah." Bromeliad nodded. "I'm not scared, don't think that - I mean, I want to go, I want to help. But someone has to let them know."

"But you can't stay by yourself!" Orchid argued. "You'll be so lonely… I mean, there are Gus, Andrea and Kai, a few of our friends from Felipe and Johanna's tribes, but - it won't be the same without us. Maybe one of us should stay behind, as well." Initially, nobody volunteered. They all wanted to go on the trip - they all wanted to help Jewel. But then Isaac rose to his feet.

"It should be me." He said. Before anyone could protest, Isaac went on. "Come on - I'll miss Bromeliad. And your trip'll be faster, with two less macaws to slow you all down. Trust me - go to Peru without us." There was a long silence. The remaining six looked at one another.

"Are you positive you don't mind?" Bia asked, looking at Isaac and Bromeliad.

"Of course we don't." Isaac assured her. "We'll be fine here - we'll make sure that they'll be okay while you're gone." But as Isaac said these reassuring things, there was a piercing, anguished shriek - a shriek of agony. Not one of physical pain - but it was from the heart. A shriek even the sharpest jaguar tooth couldn't cause. Voices erupted from trees as tribe members were jolted awake from their slumber, and blue heads poked out of hollows. All eyes were on Blu and Jewel's tree, where Eduardo, Mimi, Roberto and Sophia had gone into minutes before. The shriek had been male. The eight were quiet, and Bia, Carla, and Tiago were especially silent. For a moment, no-one moved. Then Bromeliad and Isaac turned to them.

"You should go." Isaac said, slowly. The six macaws looked at one another, before each of them quickly hugged Isaac and Bromeliad, whom they were leaving behind. Azure and Orchid took several moments longer than the other three to leave their sibling embrace. They had never spent so much time apart from each other - now, the four would be temporarily split in half.

"You look after yourselves." Azure said, looking at his older brother and sister. "And… watch out for Hyacinths. I have a bad feeling that something's going to happen - I wouldn't trust Kerja at all." Everyone shifted, nervous at the mention of the Hyacinth's matriarch and sole leader. Most leaders had a mate, but Kerja didn't. It was rumoured she had a son, or a daughter, but it was never truly confirmed.

"We'll be careful." Isaac nodded. "Look after Orchid." Hearing this, Orchid glared at Isaac.

"Hey, I'm not a baby!" protested Orchid, crossly.

"We know." Bromeliad replied. "But you're still the youngest of all of us. You'll always be our little sister." Orchid grumbled in embarrassment, squirming as Bromeliad gave her a hug. Bia was last to say goodbye to the two. She hugged Isaac, first, then Bromeliad.

"Thank you." Bia said, looking at them both. "Look after Blu and Jewel, okay? Make sure that mom holds on."

"We will, my friend." Bromeliad promised. She pulled out of the embrace, and put her wings on Bia's shoulders. "Go. Bring back the cure, and save them both. We know you can do it." Bia, encouraged by Bromeliad's words, nodded, giving her a half-smile.

"Good luck, all of you - and be careful." Isaac advised, looking a little anxious. Bia, Azure, Orchid, Tiago, Carla and Bruno looked at them one final time, still reluctant to leave them - before they turned, and flew out of the ravine. Bromeliad and Isaac were left, alone, on the ledge, listening to Blu's tortured cries.


	15. Vanished

Mimi once looked at the world with rose-tinted spectacles. But now, she didn't know if she could look at it in such a way ever again. The world outside was dark and miserable, the rain beating down, the sky a murky, depressing shade of grey. It was as if the sky was crying, as if mourning the news of what would soon be Jewel's death. The wind was blowing violently - tugging at Mimi's feathers even from inside her heavily flowered home. Petals were drifting about, and she had been watching them for hours, watching them move across the floor.

When Blu had reacted horribly to the news last night, the entire tribe had been alerted that something was wrong. So, a few hours earlier, Eduardo had reluctantly called them together and announced that Jewel only had a few weeks to live. Many macaws had begun crying, some had been too shocked to react, while others had come up to offer their sympathies. Mimi then remembered that Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro and the other friends from Rio would have to be told over the phone. _One of the kids will have to do that, no one else can use it… oh, it's too horrible. _They'd tell the city birds after the event actually happened. Emotions were running too high right now.

Flowers rested outside Blu and Jewel's tree - hundreds of them, for sympathy, but this made Mimi feel worse. Flower petals were used at burials, to cover a grave - the flowers did stand for condolences, for their petals just reminded Mimi of Tia's funeral, nineteen years ago. Mimi would have thought that she would be the first to die, of her family. She was the eldest, after all, a few weeks older than her brother - she did have years yet to live, but still, she would've probably died before anyone else did. Certainly not_ after_ Jewel. Mimi shivered when she remembered Blu's face, after they told him. It could have outweighed all the grief Mimi had felt for Tia, when they dragged Tia's corpse from the wreckage of the burning tree.

Blu had crumpled to the floor, shrieking - anyone would've thought it was a heart attack, but Mimi knew exactly what it was - she'd seen what grief had done to Eduardo on the night Tia died. He'd cried, pleaded them to tell him that it wasn't true. After his show of devastation, Blu had raced into the room Jewel was in, and had begun sobbing his heart out. Mimi honestly couldn't imagine what it was like, losing a mate Mimi had never had a mate - she'd had a few boyfriends and flings when she was younger, but nothing special. She had some idea of it, but she knew she would never truly understand.

Mimi dreaded to think what Blu would do when Jewel actually died. His reaction to the news alone was disturbing enough - surely he wouldn't - be pushed to suicide? _He can't leave Bia, Carla and Tiago without a father as well as a mother… he can't be left alone after she passes._

"Mimi!" a frantic voice cried, making her jump. Mimi's head whipped up as she recognised Roberto's silhouette, in the entrance of her tree. She felt a sickening feeling of dismay. _No! We were told she had a few weeks!_ But, seeing Mimi's expression, Roberto realized that his frenzied entry had delivered an unintended message. "No, Jewel's still fine." Roberto said quickly, to her relief. He looked beside himself with worry - not over his childhood friend, however. He looked consumed with fear, his head feathers spiked violently - it was a 'parent' look, one Mimi had seen with Tia and Eduardo when Jewel was a child. "Have you seen my kids?" he demanded, confirming Mimi's suspicions. "Isaac and Bromeliad are asleep in their nests, but there's no sign of Orchid and Azure. Soph's going crazy, you know what she's like! Have you seen them?"

"Azure and Orchid?" Mimi asked, alarmed by his behaviour. "No, I haven't - why don't you ask Bia and Tiago? Bia is Azure's boyfriend, and Tiago is Orchid's… wait." Mimi frowned. "Where _are_ Bia, Carla, and Tiago?" Roberto opened his beak to reply, but then it snapped shut as he was lost for words. "I haven't seen any of them since…" Mimi began.

"…yesterday morning." Roberto finished. They both stared at one another, before Roberto knocked himself on the beak with a clenched talon. "How could I have been so blind? What kind of a father am I? I didn't notice my own_ kids_ were missing! Help me find Azure and Orchid - and Bia, Carla, and Tiago, too. Eduardo, bless his soul, went out the ravine to help look for them all, despite how he's feeling. Come on!" Roberto turned, and flew away, calling for his younger son and daughter. Concerned for the well-being of the five kids, Mimi pushed aside her dark mood and flew out of the tree, into the drizzle. Wind battered at her feathers, sending a few moulting ones flying away. She and Roberto flew as swiftly as possible, as most birds couldn't fly well in the rain. They reached the canopy of the trees where Blu and Jewel lived, providing some shelter. Most of the tribe were huddled in their nests, out of the rain. Over the wind, she heard Sophia calling.

"Azure! Orchid!" through the miserable weather, Mimi could see the periwinkle-blue form of their score marker. Sophia was darting from tree-to-tree, searching every hollow, asking everyone where they were. Nobody had seen them, however. Even more worrying was the fact that somebody else was missing, as well as Blu and Jewel's entire brood and half of Roberto and Sophia's.

"I went to the club, Tobias! There's a sign saying that they're closed for a few weeks - it didn't say why!" Isabella fretted, from where she was looking around her tree. "How didn't you notice he was missing, Toby? This is your _entire _fault!"

"It's not _just _my fault! He's your son too, Izzy!" Tobias was chasing his mate, trying to get her to calm down, but he still looked as fretful as she did - the difference was he could conceal his worry. Most mothers were visibly more worried than fathers, shown by Sophia and Isabella's frantic behaviour. At least Roberto and Tobias could keep calm - speaking of parents, where was Blu? Jewel's absence was acceptable, but, despite his grief, Blu should have been out, looking for his children. At least, that was her opinion. Mimi flew toward the tree, which looked droopy and sad, its leaves seeming to have lost their rich green hue.

"Blu!" Mimi called, entering. She knew not to call Jewel - she was probably in a blackout again. But Mimi was in for a shock, when she saw a figure propped against the entrance of the abandoned room. She had thought that she was too weak to stand. "Jewel!" she exclaimed, bewildered. "What are you doing? You need rest!" Jewel must have come out of her blackout - for the moment. But Jewel looked worse. She didn't seem to have changed a lot, but there was something even more worrying - her eyes were red. Not the whites of her eyes, from pain or anything… Mimi let out a small shriek as she realized. "Jewel! You're - you're - bleeding!"

"Wh…" Jewel blinked, touching her eye; her wingtip came away red. A stream of blood was coming from Jewel's left eye; bright red, carving a red stream through her face feathers. _You're bleeding… from your eyes! _Mimi thought, feeling sick. Horrified, Jewel began shaking as she slid down the wall, staring at the blood on her wing. Mimi rushed to Jewel, wrapping a wing around her and trying to help her to her feet. The flapping sound of wings distracted Mimi, and she turned, squinting up at a silhouette. She had an elegant look to her, with blue and yellow feathers - there was no doubt as to who it was.

"Don't worry, I'm here!" cried a familiar voice - if it were a fabric, it would be silk. The leader and healer of the Blue-and-Gold macaw tribe rushed down, dropping a large leaf-woven bag, and she immediately helped Jewel up. Together, Mimi and Johanna hauled Jewel back through the climbing plant, putting her into the nest, despite her feeble protests.

"Let me…" Jewel was trying to speak; under the pain in her eyes, there was desperation. "My kids!" she insisted, attempting to push them away. "Let me help…"

"You're not going anywhere." Johanna said firmly, pushing Jewel back into the nest."I'm sorry, Jewel, but you're too sick to fly. You're in no state to look for the kids. They'll turn up - just sit down and let me give you some sort of pain reliever." Johanna whirled round, picking up the bag she had initially dropped. "You need to replace or re-educate your healers." She muttered, as she ran past Mimi. "They may be unable to treat the disease, but surely they'd remember to give her a pain killer!"

"We've got a healer in the making -" Mimi began, thinking of Bia, and her fascination in medicine. "-but right now, she, her siblings and friends are missing. Thank you, Johanna - I'll be back. I need to help in the search." Mimi turned, looking at Jewel. "We'll find them, wildflower. Just let Johanna give you some medicine."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child!" Jewel snapped, unexpectedly. Mimi recoiled in astonishment, shocked. Jewel was never so rude, especially not to her own aunt. Johanna, however, didn't look alarmed by the outburst.

"It's a side-effect of the disease." She explained, quietly, while she sorted out a bizarre-looking plant. "The disease targets the part of the brain that controls fear, anger, leading to emotional outbursts and mood snaps."

"That's comforting, Johanna." Mimi muttered, sarcastically, looking away. She couldn't stand to be in the same room as her dying niece, so she quietly slipped from the room and focused on finding the missing kids. Maybe it would put Jewel's mind at ease. "Bia! Carla! Tiago!" Mimi knew that the tree had probably already been searched, but she had a knack for spotting small clues. If she'd honed her skills further, she could've become a tracker. Tribes often, along with healing and Pit of Doom teams, had a group of trackers. Roberto was a tracker, and Isaac was said to have inherited his father's skill, too - Azure had artistic skills, but Isaac had the life skills. Mimi spotted a small, downy feather on the ground, and she picked it up, examining it. It was a juvenile feather, but dark enough to be Blu's - without question, it had to be Tiago's - and it was recent, too. Maybe a few hours old.

Mimi looked up, and could see the four sleeping hollows above, with Blu and Jewel's at the lowest level, and Bia's at the top. Mimi checked Blu and Jewel's room - which hadn't been slept in for days - but found no sign of the kids. Knowing that their rooms would show the most clues, Mimi began searching the three kids' rooms. She couldn't help but tut when she entered Tiago and Carla's. _What a mess - if I had kids, I'd make sure they wouldn't clutter up their rooms. _Mimi did notice similarities between all three bedrooms; all the necklaces were in their places. The kids usually wore them inside the ravine, to prevent the chance of losing them. Carla's iPod was tucked neatly into its gap, covered by a couple of leaves to conceal it. Carla always took the iPod with her - Mimi rarely saw her without it. Bia's room held the most evidence. A few things littered on the floor, but Bia always tidied up her room - Mimi had come here a few times, and it had always been immaculate. It was as if items had been knocked - Bia had clearly been in a hurry. Bia's sketchpad and a few of her drawing tools were gone from their usual place - and something odd, lying on the floor, caught on one of Mimi's claws.

Frowning, Mimi pulled the thing from her claw. It was probably an inch in width, light brown, made of some sort of material: long strings woven together. She'd seen it on one of those human boats, only then it had been a container for fruit. _This came from a sack. _What was a scrap of a sack doing in Bia's room? Why would she need it? Azure, Orchid, Bruno, and the three kids were missing… why weren't Isaac and Bromeliad with them? If Carla went out, a reason for leaving the iPod behind would be to prevent it being lost. None of them took their necklaces, also to prevent losing them… and the club had closed for a few weeks with no explanation, according to Isabella. The missing and changing things, almost as if they had gone somewhere…

Mimi then saw something white, lying in Bia's sleeping niche. Dropping the scrap of material in her talon, Mimi walked up to the niche, peering inside - before she took hold of the white thing. It looked as though it had been torn from one of Bia's books. It was written in rushed, yet neat writing, in one of Bia's charcoal pencils.

_We love you all - Isaac and Bromeliad will explain everything. Sorry._


	16. Explanation

Roberto marched into his hollow, with Isaac and Bromeliad hurrying ahead of him, so not to be hassled. In the tree, there were several macaws gathered: Sophia was standing with her wings on her hips, waiting for an explanation, and Eduardo was trying to hide his depressed mood with an angry look. They'd tell Isabella and Tobias what had happened to their son later, for they were out looking for him. Suddenly, someone else entered the hollow - Mimi, and - to their surprise - Blu. Mimi was practically dragging him, pulling him along behind her by his wing. Blu was barely acknowledging her, however, half stumbling, and his eyes unfocused. Roberto felt a flash of pain for his friend. _He's an echo of what he once was. Will he ever be the same again?_

"I'm sorry." Mimi said, in an exhausted voice. She had clearly been trying to convince Blu to come to Roberto's meeting, but had obviously given up after a while and decided to drag him herself. "But your entire brood is missing and you're not doing a _thing_ about it! Get a grip for five minutes to listen." Blu visibly ignored her, but he obeyed, shuffling across the floor to sit down, wings wrapped around himself. Satisfied that everyone was here, Roberto turned to his older children, and pushed them both a foot ahead, so that they could stand in front of the others.

"Um…" Isaac smiled weakly. "So. What's this about, then?"

"What do you think, Isaac?" Sophia demanded, and she ran up to the pair of them, brandishing the piece of paper Mimi had found in Bia's room. Both Bromeliad and Isaac flinched, clearly afraid of what Sophia would do. She had at all never struck them - she wouldn't dream of that - but she had a temper on her.

"Explanation." Roberto ordered, folding his wings._ "Now." _Bromeliad and Isaac looked at each other, sighing. Of course they'd expect the truth to come out.

"Fine." Bromeliad muttered. "They've gone to Peru. Happy?"

"Oh, that's _grand."_ Sophia said, rolling her eyes. "Very funny, you're going to have to come up with a better lie."

"It's no lie, mom!" Isaac protested. "Bia happened to overhear your conversation, the other night - we know what's happening to Jewel." Isaac's initial reply was silence. Sophia, Roberto, Eduardo and Mimi stared, stunned - at the mention of Jewel, Blu looked up.

"What?" he said, the first time he had spoken since last night. He stared at the four, his face a mixture of anger and hurt. "You waited a _whole day_ to tell me that Jewel was dying?" he spluttered, looking utterly betrayed. The four looked at each other, uncomfortable. "I was at her side all that time, thinking that she would get better once the cure was found, and then, twenty-four hours later, you decided to tell me?"

"Enough!" Bromeliad interrupted, before an argument could start. "The thing is, Blu, that they didn't go to Peru for a bit of sight-seeing. They went to find Jewel a _cure." _Both Bromeliad and Isaac felt relieved when they noticed a flash of surprise and, after several moments, a desperate glimmer of hope enter his eyes.

"You can't be serious!" Eduardo interrupted, barging forward. "It's a _myth._ It's an incredulous tale for chicks, no more. Bia's a smart girl - she should know better than to fill their heads with nonsense about a miracle plant! How could she be so naïve?"

"That's your granddaughter you're talking about!" Mimi reminded him, shoving him with a wing.

"Cut it out!" Roberto snapped, turning back to Isaac and Bromeliad. "Continue."

"Okay. Bia told us what's going to happen to Jewel. So, Bruno remembered that she mentioned the myth, so he thought that it was worth a try. He had Bia explain the myth." Isaac explained, hoping that they wouldn't be too mad.

"What myth actually was this?" Blu asked, in a quiet voice.

"'The Estrella.'" Bromeliad replied, before explaining; Blu didn't know about the myth. "Basically, a fragment of a comet landed in Peru, and from it, grew a few magical plants, called the 'Estrella', as that means 'Star' in Spanish. The Estrella apparently has the ability to heal any illness and injury. Okay, so, with it probably being the last resort, the others decided to go to Peru. They got a map and compass to take them there; the only reason me and Isaac stayed was because Elsa caught us leaving. She said she'd tell you all, but we didn't think you'd believe her, with her young age."

"Here's my question." Said Sophia. "Why on earth did they go… without telling us?"

"It's because of him." Isaac said, and all heads turned to Eduardo. The patriarch's eyes filled with surprise. "Bia heard how you thought of the myth - we thought that you'd forbid us from leaving. That's why we didn't tell anyone." There was several moments of long silence, as the adult birds were lost for words. Finally, Mimi found something to say.

"Six teenagers!" Mimi blurted, out of the blue. She looked terrified. "Teens, Isaac, Bromeliad! Do you have any idea of how dangerous it is out there? For goodness sake! Harpy eagles, jaguars! They could be ripped to shreds, eaten! And humans! The sanctuary is only so large, you two. The moment they leave the sanctuary, there's nothing to stop them being captured by poachers!"

"Mimi, please?" Roberto said, weakly, the blood having drained from his face. "You're not making us feel any better. Those are our_ kids_ you're talking about."

"I'm sorry, Roberto, but it's true." Mimi said, looking petrified. "You have no idea of how dangerous it is, out there. Snakes, poachers -"

"I agree with Roberto, Mimi. Just _stop _talking." Eduardo said, not enjoying the image of his grandchildren being eaten by a snake.

"They're smart and skilled." Sophia cut in. "They won't get hurt, I know it. They're survivors - they all are. But look, kids." Sophia said, her eyes softening as she looked at Isaac and Bromeliad. "It was such a heroic decision… so selfless of you all. But Peru's miles away. Even if they make it home, will it be in time? It'll take a few weeks at least… and Jewel…" she didn't say no more. They all knew how long Jewel had left to live.

"Hold up…" Roberto looked up. "Johanna told me about what she was giving Jewel. It was some miracle plant she'd found, recently. Apparently, it slows down a disease. It doesn't cure it, but… it delays it before it completes its full cycle. It'll add one more week onto Jewel's life expectancy."

"But -" Eduardo began to protest, and then the four macaws began bickering, arguing over their disagreements and opinions. Blu, however, just turned, and slowly walked out Roberto's nest, his tail dragging and collecting dust as he did. Bromeliad and Isaac looked at one another, their faces sorrowful, before they exited their home, leaving the others to argue. Blu trudged through the ferns between Roberto's and his tree, before he disappeared into it, presumably to check on Jewel.

"That went well." Isaac said, flatly. Bromeliad looked at the floor, sighing loudly.

"Come on. We should find Gus and Andrea, or anyone to talk to. This is going to be a long few weeks."

_Meanwhile_

"When are we getting a new home, Kerja?" shouted a female macaw, with a few sour-faced chicks gathered around her. She, alongside many other mother Hyacinths, were making their impatience perfectly clear. "You promised us!"

"Our territory is too small to sustain us!" a male's voice rose above the rest, and there were loud shouts of agreement.

"Shut it!" Kerja ordered once again, her voice loud and raucous. The tribe faded in silence, but they still hissed under their breath. "I did promise you all a new home. And I never break my promises. My father got you all a new home last time, didn't he?" Kerja shouted at them all, despite the quiet. She held up a multi-coloured vine; feathers were tied onto the ends, of countless species. "You all know what this is. A feather, from the species of every tribe we've ever driven out. It's proof of how efficient I am in leading you all, as was my father before me." Kerja held up three feathers - one light blue, one red, and one blue-and-yellow one. "You will see our home expand."

The tribe began cheering as Kerja tied the three feathers onto the end of the vine, adding to the mass of feathers. "Before long, we will occupy the _entire_ sanctuary region. Leaving our Spix's, Scarlet, and Blue-and-Gold friends to the mercy of the outside. They face poachers and predators, while we spread out over three other territories - safe and sound. Your children will grow up in a paradise. Remember!" she cried, straightening. She raised her deformed talon into the air; down below, every tribe member raised their talons, their toes curling in and out to mimic her deformed foot. It was the official sign of respect, for the Hyacinths. "It is much better to be feared… than loved." While the tribe cheered, Kerja turned, and vanished into a hole in the cave wall, her nest. As Kerja hung the string of feathers on the wall, a small form appeared in the entrance.

"Madam Kerja…" said the form. It was a small, female macaw, who looked like a Hyacinth, but was almost half the size. But she wasn't exactly an adolescent; it was clear that there was something wrong with her. To Kerja's surprise, the female began protesting. "Please, I'm begging you. Don't do this - dozens of us could be injured or killed, if you go ahead with your plan. There's a place on the other side of the Amazon. I've seen. It could sustain us, without driving out a tribe… it's just over the river. They'll be no casualties." Kerja whirled round, her grey eyes burning. Slowly, she approached the younger female, leaning close to her.

"I taught you that showing mercy is cowardice. You should show your respect by being on my side." She snarled. The young female flinched as Kerja reached up with her deformed foot, holding her chin up. "You should be grateful. I chose to spare you, even though your egg was half the size of the rest of my clutch. Most Hyacinths would dispose of such a hopeless case, but no, I decided to raise a potential runt or weak chick." This remark made the young macaw feel hurt, and she flinched again. Kerja's voice became dangerously quiet. "Don't you dare disappoint me, Mina. You're my only surviving child, and I need every warrior on my side." Mina was tempted to say something, but she kept it to herself, instead. _That's all I am, to you. I'm not your child, I'm just another warrior for your army._


	17. Promises

"Hey, sis!" Tiago called, from the back. "Do you want me to take over the front, now? You've been flying there for half an hour, and the wind's picking up!" Bia was flying at the head of the 'v'. On the right 'V' branch, flew Bruno, Orchid, and Azure, on the left branch of the 'V', flew Carla and Tiago. There was always on empty space at the back, for only one macaw flew at the front of the 'V'.

"That would be fantastic, Tiago!" Bia sighed, before she slowed, allowing the others to pass her. She got into her position in their formation, at the back, behind Carla, while Tiago flew to the front. Flying in the classic 'V' formation had been Orchid's idea, as it, apparently, eased the flight for those behind the bird in front. It was true indeed, for as Bia moved to the back of the formation, she felt the drafts of air from her friends ahead of her, allowing her to relax a little more. Azure looked over his shoulder from where he was on her right, smiling at her.

"How are you holding up, Bia?" he asked. They all knew that it was hard for Bia - she did have the smallest wings of them all, so her wings got tired easily.

"I'm great!" she insisted, flapping her wings a little faster to keep up. She didn't want to feel like a disadvantage to the group.

"Sure you don't want me to carry you?" Azure teased, and Bia snorted with laughter. His blue eyes were bright with amusement - everyone's eyes were the brightest they'd been since Jewel's diagnosis. This journey had given them fresh hope. "Want me to carry the bag?" he offered.

"Thank you." Bia smiled, grateful, before tossing him the bag in her talons. Azure caught it easily, securing the two vine loops around his ankles, before resuming his flight. Bia had made two loops in the vine, both of which slipped over two ankles - it saved holding it in one's talons, and it meant that there was less of a chance of it being dropped. Ahead, Bia heard the conversation.

"Ugh, I miss my iPod." Carla groaned, scratching the feathers around her ears, as if feeling for the headphones. On Carla's right, Bruno looked at her, rolling his eyes in amusement.

"Come on, it's only for a few weeks at the least - when we get home, you have your iPod again." He reminded her, but Carla still looked unsettled. Bia knew how her sister was feeling - she was already missing her books. But it would slow them down, carrying a heavy book along. Carla had been tempted to bring the iPod, but she had decided not to risk losing it. An iPod was hard to replace, and besides, that one had all her six-hundred-odd songs on it. Imagine downloading _every _song back onto a new iPod. That was too risky, when Carla downloaded all her songs from a laptop at the Spix's Wing headquarters. It would be such an effort, downloading every single song again.

"Hey, guys!" Orchid piped up, from where she was flying. "How about a game of I spy? It'll take our minds of how much we miss home."

"Great idea, Orc!" Tiago looked over his shoulder, grinning at her. "I'll go first. I spy… someone pretty."

"Aww." Orchid flushed with embarrassment, while the others laughed.

"Tiachid are an adorable couple!" Azure teased. Orchid rolled her eyes - that shipping name was irritating, to her.

"What are you_ really _spying?" she asked.

"Ha." Tiago chuckled. "Fine - I spy something beginning with… 'B'…" while the others began speculating on what he was spying, Bia looked down at the compass in her talons. They were still on the right track - they were, at this point, flying West-ish, to reach the Peruvian border. They were following the Amazon River, which lead directly into Peru. If they followed the river, they'd find themselves in Iquitos, hopefully. According to the map, there was a small train line that could, if Bia was correct, travel further then they could fly in a day. They'd catch the train and it would save them several kilometres of flight. At the moment, if Bia's calculations were correct, they had a maximum of three days to go until they reached the Peruvian border, and get out of Brazil.

But there was one last question - Peru was massive. Where were they going to find a little plant in a country that was roughly 1,285,216 square kilometres large? They had put forward their suggestions of where this comet fragment had landed, and they all agreed that it had to be either in the rainforest, in the hills, or on a mountain somewhere. Mountains and hills were higher than rainforests, so they were probably the most likely landing spot for a comet fragment. Deciding to put her mind on something else, Bia started scanning the view for something beginning with 'B'.

_Meanwhile_

Jewel was barely awake, but she was stirring every so often. A drop of blood seeped through her closed eyelids, again, much to Johanna's discontent. The feathers under her eyes were now stained a dark crimson, and the feathers around her beak were the same colour, for the blood-filled coughs were still going strong. Johanna bit her lower beak, fearing the worst when she reached for Jewel's left foot. She turned Jewel's limp talon over, inspecting the infected wound that had allowed the disease initial access to her bloodstream. It was still as black as before, and it showed no sign of closing. No matter what Johanna applied to the wound, it wasn't shrinking or showing signs of healing. Johanna was now noticing something else - more and more cerulean feathers were appearing in Jewel's nest, from where a few of her feathers were starting to fall out. Even more worrying was that Jewel was refusing to ingest anything. A couple of times, Johanna had had to force the medical plants down her throat - trying to get Jewel to eat food was worse. Anything too acidic made her sick, but a large amount of the macaw diet contained acids. Johanna was feeding Jewel a few plant shoots, the mildest thing, but plant shoots lacked the nutrients Jewel desperately needed to stay strong.

Johanna had discovered a strange new plant a few months ago, and it had worked wonders for some of her patients. She had dubbed it 'atraso', Portuguese for 'delay'. Like the name suggested, it slowed down the progress of a disease, adding a few weeks on the patient's life expectancy. In Jewel's case, and the violent nature of her certain illness, atraso would give her at least a week. Johanna had been told where Blu and Jewel's three kids had gone, and she wasn't sure what to believe. Was the trip in vain, or would it prove life-saving? Johanna did believe in some myths, this one included, but the future was uncertain for Jewel. The Blue-and-Gold macaw kept looking at Blu, to see what he was doing - and he wasn't doing anything. Staring at Jewel, waiting for her to wake up - he had to tell her where their brood had gone. The Blue-and-Gold macaw didn't know how he was feeling, and she couldn't guess.

Blu had been having terrible thoughts. He kept imagining things he wouldn't dare consider dreaming of - he was thinking about death. What was waiting for Jewel? A happy afterlife, where every tree was covered in blossoms, and she would be reunited with her dead loved ones? Or just a wall of darkness, oblivion? Surely it wasn't born, live, and then lights out, forever? To sum everything up, Blu was wondering if suicide meant he could be with Jewel again. It would be so easy - there were hundreds of ways to die in the Amazon.

He'd do anything for her - she was the light of his life. Jewel was the macaw who had stolen his heart from the moment he first laid eyes on her. But if she died, so would his heart. He would break far beyond repair, and he knew that not even the thought of Bia, Carla and Tiago would mend him. As much as he loved his children with all his heart, Blu knew that he couldn't live without Jewel. Some would call him selfish for what he was planning, but he couldn't help it. With suicide, he could be with Jewel again and he wouldn't have to live the rest of his many years alone. Watching his friends go on to have second broods, loving each other even after they grew old and grey, while he was alone, living a half-life until he died. When Jewel's life ended, so would his. Suicide was the only answer.

But, regardless of these thoughts, Blu was still hoping. Clinging onto a thread no thicker than a spider's silk. There was a tiny chance of the myth existing - it was the only thing he had left. Blu rose to his feet, and sat down at Jewel's side. He reached over, taking one of her limp wings, which caused her to stir. Jewel's eyes fluttered open, and she blinked up at him.

Johanna looked over her shoulder, from where she had been searching for a herb that eased pain. She felt a pang of sorrow. She'd seen so many macaws die. So many of her tribe members, all of which she had been desperate to save. She'd comforted countless widows and widowers, treated their mates before they died. Each time, she'd felt guilty for being unable to save the patient's life. Blu and Jewel were, by far, the best and most devoted couple she'd come across. It was horrible, seeing this - it was the most painful case she'd come across.

"I know where the kids… have gone." Jewel murmured, in a barely audible voice, to Blu's surprise. "The distance between… our tree and Roberto and Sophia's… isn't that big." Blu looked away, trying to bring himself to look at Jewel. _I can't look at her like this. _He hadn't leapt out of a plane five years ago for nothing. He hadn't battled the odds to be with her, only for her to die five years later. Blu couldn't face the motherless Bia, Carla, and Tiago. _The myth has to be real._ Finally, he forced himself to look at her. He took both her wings in his own. He couldn't lose her - not now, not ever. She had to stay alive until the kids returned.

"Jewel, I want you to… promise me something." Blu said, quietly. He felt the tears in his eyes, and his throat felt thick as he held back his sobs.

"Anything…" Jewel replied, closing her eyes while she listened to what he had to say.

"I need you to promise me that you'll fight this disease. You're a survivor, and I know you can pull through this, no matter what. Promise me that you won't let go, that you'll hang on until our kids come back, with your medicine. Fight this with everything you've got - do you understand, Jewel? If I lose you, I won't be able to live anymore. Think about your father and Mimi. Our friends, here and in Rio. Me, Bia, Carla, and Tiago. Your mother wouldn't want you to end up like this. You can't leave us. We didn't raise three beautiful kids, only for everything to come crashing down. Promise me, Jewel - promise me that you'll hang on until they come home." Jewel could hear Blu's voice fading, as she felt an unconscious spell tug at her mind, dragging her toward it. Before Jewel spiralled into another sea of blackness, she managed to give Blu a reply.

"I promise, Blu." She whispered. Jewel opened her bloodshot eyes, looking at Blu's blurry outline -before she closed them again, tumbling into now-familiar darkness.


	18. Plotting

_Fifteen years prior_

_This was probably Eduardo's only chance; he had to take it. He surged up with all his energy, pushing violently at Jorge. Jorge stumbled backwards, surprised, and the pocketknife clattered to the ground. Eduardo and Jorge both looked at it, and then at each other - Jorge was obviously going to use his weapon. Eduardo would stand little chance unless he got the advantage. They both dived for the pocketknife. Eduardo got there first, seizing the knife and leaping back, out of Jorge's reach. He held up the pocketknife, preparing to defend himself, but the metal part had vanished. Unfamiliar with the unnatural item, he stared at it, baffled as to where the blade had gone. It seemed to have swiped down, into the black, wooden part. Now, it was utterly useless. _

_Jorge, using this distraction as an advantage, charged forward, grabbing him. He picked Eduardo off the ground, by the neck, before flinging him a few feet away, toward the cliff edge. Frantically, Eduardo's claws raked at the stone surface, preventing him from falling. The pocketknife had slipped clumsily from his grasp, and he heard it clatter to the ground a few inches away. But then the pocketknife was slipping down the rock, its blade revealed once again. Eduardo looked around, where Jorge was flying at him, screeching. Knowing he had mere seconds left, Eduardo seized the pocketknife before it could slip off the cliff edge, and he whirled around, wildly jabbing the blade forwards. Eduardo's ears rang with the ear-splitting shriek, and he saw the spurt of blood. Down below, everyone stopped fighting as Jorge's screech rang through the air._

_Jorge had stiffened, eyes fixed on Eduardo. He opened his beak, as though to say something - before he fell backwards, crashing to the ground without a word. Jorge didn't move - the only sound he made was the gurgle of blood, in his throat, as the air whistled from his pierced lung. The blade must have gone through the lung, into his heart, for an awful lot of blood was being produced - running from the wound, down the rock, and dripping slowly off the side of the cliff. Jorge convulsed, gasping, his blood-shot eyes fixed on Eduardo's - filled with a hatred that made his blood run cold. "You'll regret this." He rasped, before his eyes rolled in their sockets. Horrified gasps sounded from Jorge's tribe below, followed by a shocked silence, as Jorge's breathing stopped. Eduardo, horrified by what he had done, stared in horror at the pocketknife, its blade now red. A drop of blood trickled down the blade, onto the handle, onto his claws. Jorge lay, motionless on the ground, the only sign of movement being the blood trickling from the wound. Eduardo looked at the human item again, before it clattered to the rock under his feet as he dropped it, in revulsion. _

_Present day_

Kerja twirled the ancient, battered pocketknife in her talons, eyes on the blade. Across from her, Mina was sitting with a bowed head, refusing to look at her, as she watched a couple of chicks down below, play-fighting one another. Mina was flinching repeatedly, as she watched one - who was probably only a few weeks old - get thrown against the cave wall, sliding to the ground, before he launched himself back into the mock battle, seizing his opponent. When she was younger, she was tormented and targeted constantly over her relatively tiny size. She had spent the majority of her childhood hanging out with chicks of other species, as they didn't laugh at her for her height.

Mina, not wanting to watch chicks fighting, looked away, at her mother. The string of feathers, one from a tribe that the Hyacinths had driven out, was tied around Kerja's neck, like a necklace. In the middle of the feathers, a jaguar tooth had been tied. The tooth, the necklace, and the pocketknife had belonged to Mina's grandfather. How Kerja's father had gotten the jaguar tooth was unknown. He had claimed, when he was alive, that he had torn it from a jaguar skull. But it looked rather unnaturally polished and sharp - Mina thought that it originated from a human's jewerelly item. Besides, there was no possible way to tear out a jaguar tooth without getting killed by a livid jaguar in the process. On the necklace, there were six feathers in total - but Mina knew of plans to make that nine soon, and she was dreading it.

From birth, she, and other Hyacinth chicks, had been taught that it was 'better to be feared than loved', which had been used to motivate them to fight well. As the matriarch's daughter, it was expected that she exceeded average skills, even despite her major set-back: her abnormal size. Kerja had a deformed talon, Mina was tiny for a Hyacinth - it was bizarre, and unjust. Kerja then set the pocketknife down, and Mina saw the nicks in the wooden handle out of the corner of her eye. There were thirteen of them - one for every bird she had ever killed. Every Hyacinth had a human weapon of their own, and nicks for each kill they had made. Thankfully, not many of them had a lot of nicks on their weapons - most of Mina's fellow tribe members simply battered their opponents to an inch of their life, rather than slaughter them.

For years, the Hyacinths had secretly raided human tour boats and any human campsites - taking sharp objects like scissors and knives. This was probably key to their success, other than their numbers and size. All the weapons were kept deep in the cave, down a tunnel that lead further underground. This tunnel lead to a rock chamber, where an underground stream ran through, flowing into a dark gap into the wall - where this lead, no one knew, but it was where many prisoners had been thrown into the water and into the darkness, presumably to their deaths. The weapons were all kept on ledges. Mina's own weapon was an extremely sharp pencil, to Kerja's utter displeasure. Mina knew that Kerja wanted her to have a knife or something more lethal than a pencil, but in truth, Mina didn't want to hurt anyone. Despite everything Kerja had drummed into her brain, all she wanted was to get away and live a normal life. Mina was planning to make her getaway soon, probably before Kerja's plan was set into action, when Kerja was distracted enough for her to sneak away.

Kerja then let out a high-pitched squawk, her signal for her closest right-wing birds. Her two bodyguards, alongside some other respected members of the Hyacinth tribe, were soon standing before them, bowing to show their respect. Mina looked away, rolling her eyes. "Please rise." Kerja ordered, and she was immediately obeyed. She then looked down at Mina, eyes lighting up with surprise, as if she had just noticed her. "Go away," she said, simply. Mina resisted glaring at her, before getting up and walking away, anger swarming up. She paused around a jutting-out rock, listening in on Kerja and the Hyacinths she had organized. Mina always listened in on Kerja's little secret talks. She peeked around the rock, watching them. Kerja turned to the others, her grey eyes hardening. "So, when will the first stage of the plan commence? Suggestions?"

"I suggest a few days, if not a week, from now." Rasped one of her bodyguards. "We'll strike a member who holds importance to their tribe - they often go on human boats, our spies have reported. The ones who usually go are kids - the grandchildren of Eduardo, and one of them would've been suitable, but there's a problem. The teenagers in question have vanished. They took some things from a human boat, before leaving the sanctuary and heading west. We can't use one of them for the plan."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Kerja said, acerbically, making the bodyguard look down, ashamed. "Any more ideas?" she asked, looking around the small group.

"What about Eduardo's son-in-law? Surely he has information?" an older female prompted, but Kerja was already shaking her head.

"No, that's not a good idea, Beryl. He's never alone when he leaves that ravine of theirs, and as of recent, he hasn't been seen outside that ravine for days. Our spies have been monitoring possible targets, however, and they've narrowed them down to these." Mina heard the scratching of earth as Kerja began drawing in the soil. Her heart began flickering like butterfly wings - what on earth was her mother and matriarch plotting? "Which one is best?" she asked, looking at them expectantly.

"How about Mimi?" said Beryl. But then she shook her head. "No, actually. She's as stubborn as a capybara. Scratch that suggestion."

"What about one of these three?" prompted the other bodyguard, extending his talon and touching his talon to a name in the loose soil that had been brought in from the outside, for Kerja to draw out her plans. Mina peered around the rock, trying to make out the small lettering, but from her position, she couldn't tell. The bodyguard sounded confident and certain as he spoke. "Surely one of these knows key information. These three are related to Eduardo's wingman, after all - they must know something. I'd suggest the wingman himself, but he's probably far too stubborn to tell us what we need to know. One of these is probably easier to extract information from." Mina frowned, squinting at the names - then she identified them. She had been piecing together Kerja's secret discussions, and now she knew what her deranged mother was plotting. _They can't be serious… those names? Two of them are teenagers! They're going to interrogate kids?_ She then felt sickened - since Kerja had come into power, the Hyacinths used interrogation to get the information they needed. But when the one in question refused to speak? Not all the nicks on Kerja's pocketknife marked a kill _in battle_ \- they represented another form of murder.

_Meanwhile_

"Wow, this brings back a few memories!" Carla remarked, as she landed on the boat's roof beside Bruno. She tripped a little, but Bruno put out a wing, preventing her from losing her footing. "Thank you, Brunie." She said, brightly, and Bruno gave her a warm smile. The brown of his eyes always looked even warmer whenever he looked at her. Carla turned, looking at Tiago as he landed on the metal. "Don't you dare do what you did last time, T." she warned, exchanging an annoyed look with Bia. Bia nodded in agreement, remembering the rude awakening they had received on that first night in the Amazon, sleeping on the tour boat for the night. She had been dreaming about butterflies when the ear-splitting sound of the boat horn had jolted them all from sleep.

"I'm telling you!" Tiago insisted, rolling his eyes. He had been putting up with this false accusation for around a year - but it hadn't been his fault. "I don't know how the boat's horn sounded, but it was nothing to do with me. I was asleep until that noise woke me up!"

"Oh, sure." Bia said, rolling her own eyes, hanging the bag of supplies on a peeling piece of metal. "Admit it, it was obviously you - who else could it have been?"

"I swear on the Brazil nut grove that it was nothing to do with me!" Tiago said, indignantly.

"Okay, fine." Orchid said, as she lighted down, perching in a life ring that hung on the wall. "If the grove is gone when we get back, you sounded the boat horn. Capiche?"

"It'll be there!" Tiago vowed, hopping onto the ring, beside Orchid. Bia snorted with laughter, before looking for a good spot to sleep. Orchid and Tiago had settled into the life ring, and Carla and Bruno had made a comfortable sleeping spot beside a coil of rope. Azure gave her a nudge.

"How about there?" Azure asked Bia, indicating toward a pile of sacks. Azure walked up, patted the sack beneath him with his talons, testing its comfort, before sitting down with a yawn. Bia hopped across the metal roof, before she joined him on the sacks. Azure moved his wing, so it was wrapped around her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, quietly, his blue and amber-flecked gaze set on her hazel eyes. "You've seemed on the edge all day." Bia gazed up at the swath of stars above them, reminded of that star-studded night where she had shared her first kiss with Azure. They'd had this conversation twice already.

"I'm still sceptical about this whole endeavour." She confessed. "I don't know if we're going for nothing. I know, we keep having this conversation, and you're probably sick of it."

"Hey, hey." Azure murmured, touching her cheek with a wing. "I could never be sick of anything you say. And don't stress it - we'll find the plant. Jewel'll be okay, just you wait and see." Bia wanted to belief him, but a part of her just couldn't believe it.

"I'm still terrified, though." Bia sighed, before she closed her eyes. Azure's eyes flashed with concern and sympathy, and he wrapped his wing around her more tightly. After some moments, Azure had drifted off into sleep, as had the rest of their companions. Tiago and Orchid were perched in the safety ring, Orchid tucked under Tiago's wing - and Carla slept a few inches away from Bruno, propped against the rope coil, while Bruno had his head tucked under his right wing.

Bia was comforted by the warmth of Azure and his slow, gentle heartbeat, but inside, she was still frightened of the journey ahead, and - more importantly - the thought of discovering that the Estrella wasn't real. If they never found it, could they find the courage to turn back - admit defeat - go home to a dying loved one? It was far beyond unimaginable.

**Mina's the last new OC after this, I promise. She's not even having a large appearance, anyway.**

**No more edits. Just in case you're wondering what I changed, I didn't change much - extended a few descriptions, combined some chapters and cuts unnecessary bits and characters out, things like that. In 'Unwanted Visitors', Eduardo and Kerja's history is more hinted at, and Kerja has her pocketknife with her - this is really the only major change. **

**I'm only 15 - it's not my entire fault my writing's not 100% perfect. I'm not the only one, either - so many stories I've read on here mimic my mistakes, and famous book series I've read have them. The Maze Runner, Twilight, Divergent, all those famous books - they all have their errors. So don't be too harsh on this, and what annoys me most is when people state the obvious in reviews. Don't rub it in my face when I say I already know what's wrong. It's incredibly annoying and makes me feel like a terrible writer, even if you never intend such a thing. Thanks.**


	19. Saved by a Hyacinth

Blu dug into the soil, pulling out a plant shoot and adding it to the pile. His efforts were half-hearted and slow, because he knew how plant shoots lacked in the nutrition Jewel needed. But Johanna had told him that anything too acidic would make Jewel sick - they couldn't afford any energy being wasted. She needed to keep all her strength up in order to make it long enough, despite Johanna's atraso plant. When it came to healing Jewel and keeping her alive, Blu's initial thought had been to take her to the Spix's Wing, the little animal hospital in the sanctuary. While Linda and Tulio were back in Rio, keeping contact with the sanctuary headquarters via phone and email, it was run by a few zoologists and animal nurses, equipped to treat sick and injured birds and other animals. But then Blu had had a thought. If they saw Jewel in the terrible condition she was in, with an incurable disease absolutely none of them had seen or heard of - chances were that they'd decide to put her out of her misery and euthanize her. As he'd realized this, he had immediately placed the idea as out of the question. Blu couldn't let them do that - not only would it tear his heart beyond repair, but none of the tribe would ever trust well-meaning humans again.

Behind him, he could hear Mimi and Eduardo talking in hushed voices. They were bottling up their grief for Jewel, and trying to focus on him. Blu knew what they thought about him - his emotions were fragile at the moment, and they didn't want him to do anything he might regret. He wouldn't plan on doing anything while Jewel had a chance - but if she did die, he knew how tempted he'd be to end it all. Blu wasn't the only one who'd thought about ending it, with the loss of someone he loved - Roberto had told him about Felipe's former significant other, Adelaide, about how Felipe had had dark thoughts when she died, at the time of when Blu was probably a chick. Felipe had been devastated, but he had been supported and brought back. But Blu didn't think that he could get over Jewel, let alone take another mate, like Felipe had. He could never do that.

Meanwhile, Mimi and Eduardo were still watching him, as well as discussing his future. Eduardo was still sceptical and angry about his grandchildren's 'reckless' decision - and while Mimi was less pessimistic, she was terrified of the dangers they could encounter. They were so young - together, with Azure, Orchid, and Bruno, they were all roughly between one and two years old. Inexperienced, under-cautious, and they didn't always think before they did something. They could be in danger as they spoke.

"I'm seriously worried about him." Eduardo sighed, watching his son-in-law digging up plant shoots. Eduardo was sitting there, with a brazil nut opened but untouched. He looked like he could hardly concentrate - he was thinking about his daughter's death, as well as Blu's well-being. "We know what it feels like... losing someone."

"We do." Mimi agreed, remembering everyone they had lost. As kids, they had lost their parents, their uncle. And as adults, they'd lost Tia. So many loved ones - gone forever. Was another one about to join the list? "I know how you feel, about the kids leaving. But don't assume the worst. You never know, it could exist."

"Don't talk such -" Eduardo began, but Mimi cut him off.

"Don't be rude to your sister." She retorted, making Eduardo mutter and look away. There was a long silence, but before either of them could try to break the icy atmosphere, Eduardo stiffened. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled. He raised a wingtip to his beak, before he slowly pointed to something a couple of metres away. Mimi looked up, and felt a shiver run down her spine. Four Hyacinths were in the branches, watching Blu with cold eyes. It looked as though they hadn't noticed Eduardo and Mimi, but their glistening gazes were fixed upon the lone Spix's macaw. Mimi had to suppress a gasp as she noticed their human weapons; two had shards of the transparent thing Blu, Jewel and the kids called glass, and the other two had sharp silver things Mimi had seen humans using to eat food with. This was a contributing factor as to why Eduardo had used to despise human objects - their Hyacinth neighbours had used them against the Spix's macaws in the past. Human weapons could spell fatal consequences - Eduardo knew that, from an incident between him and the last leader of the Hyacinths.

Neither Mimi nor Eduardo dared to speak, to risk revealing themselves. They were outnumbered. Below them, the unsuspecting Blu picked up the plant shoots, and turned, looking up at them - confusion entered his eyes when he saw their frozen expressions of horror. Behind Blu, the four Hyacinths landed heavily, the ferns around them moving wildly from the drafts their wings had created.

Blu froze, suddenly looking frightened, as he realized that something had landed a few feet away. Blu turned, and upon seeing the four Hyacinths and the weapons they held, he dropped the plant shoots in his shock. With his back to them, Eduardo and Mimi couldn't see his expression, but they could guess that he was terrified. "Uh… hey." He said in a strangled voice, taking a step back. _Please, please, please… don't say or do anything stupid! _Mimi and Eduardo were both thinking. Blu was so clumsy with words, he could unintentionally say something that could put him in jeopardy.

"You're Eduardo's son-in-law. Aren't you?" said an older male, in a grating, icy voice. Both Mimi and Eduardo looked at each other. They should've gone down there moments ago, taken off with Blu while they had the chance, but they hadn't dared. Three Spix's macaws against four huge Hyacinths? Unlikely. _Don't say yes. Don't say yes. _They both willed, hoping that Hyacinths were too stupid to see a lie, even from someone with as much candour as Blu.

"Uh… yes?" Blu squeaked, and Eduardo and Mimi both groaned. The four Hyacinths looked at each other, shrugging - before a young male raised his shard of glass.

"You're coming with us, city boy." He snarled, the glass only inches away from Blu's throat. Under his fear, Eduardo felt confused. _City boy? They know he's not entirely wild? How could they know? _At this, he blinked. How many times had he caught them trespassing recently? He'd lost count - it would be so easy for them to overhear something. Below, Blu was petrified - his life was resting in this young male Hyacinth's talons, since he held the shard of glass inches from his throat.

"Uh… we can work this out…" Blu tried to look brave, but he wasn't that kind of bird. He couldn't conceal fear at all. "If you just turn around and fly away, I won't tell Eduardo that you trespassed. What do you want? A few Brazil nuts? There's a really nice mango grove around the corner… does Kerja like mangos?" The four Hyacinths looked at each other again, looking amused. Blu was slowly stepping back, one foot at a time, but the glass shard followed him, the young male stepping forward as Blu retreated.

"Looks like we're going to do this the hard way." Said a female, simply. The four opened their wings simultaneously, and the other three reached for their weapons. But then something extraordinary happened. Eduardo and Mimi gasped. Out of nowhere, a small, purple streak appeared, seizing Blu as it passed. Blu squawked in shock, and the four Hyacinths stared in bewilderment as their target was carried through the air at alarming speed, by a strange-looking species none of them had seen before.

"Let me go! This has happened to me _twice!"_ Blu cried, as he was dragged backwards through the air by his talons. Blu's voice faded as the bird darted through some branches, further away. On the ground, the four Hyacinths launched themselves into flight, after them. Eduardo and Mimi were, initially, too surprised to move, but then they snapped out of it. Having exchanged bewildered and frightened glances, they began following the chase. Ahead, the purple bird, with Blu in tow, was flying at full-speed, somehow managing to stay ahead of the four pursuiters as well as holding onto Blu, who was struggling to free himself. The purple bird never looked back, but it was flying extraordinarily fast - Eduardo and Mimi were finding it difficult to keep up, despite being fairly speedy for their advanced ages. Ahead, the four Hyacinths were breathing heavily, and slowing down. Their size was a disadvantage - when you were small, it was easier to be swift, but, the larger you were, slow speed was typical. Eduardo and Mimi, realizing that they would soon pass the Hyacinths, flew upwards, soaring above their heads as the four darker macaws stopped, hovering in the air to catch their breath. Up ahead, the purple bird and Blu had long gone, Blu's voice fading through the trees.

"Forget it," gasped one of them, fighting to catch his breath. "Kerja didn't want him, anyway - let's look elsewhere." Eduardo and Mimi didn't know - or care - whether the Hyacinths had left or not. Their primary concern was catching up to the purple bird and Blu. A couple of minutes later, Blu was still trapped in the purple bird's talons, shouting all sorts of things - protests, curses, and while his mind had been focused entirely on Jewel and his missing kids as of recent, it was now focused on getting away.

"For goodness sake, let me _go_ -" Blu would have done something like claw or bite his captor, but he couldn't reach. After struggling with all his might to free himself, he was unprepared to be dropped. He squawked as he tumbled through the air, too disoriented to fly. Blu soon met the forest floor, crashing into a patch of ferns. Rolling across the ground, Blu finally stopped, sprawled in a mud puddle. Dizzy and confused, he was briefly dazed, unable to do anything but lie there, face-down in the mud.

"Blu!" cried two voices, after several moments. Blu finally stumbled to his feet, staggering a little, before his head stopped spinning. His face and the majority of his front were now smeared with mud, the rich blue replaced by brown. As his head cleared, Eduardo and Mimi landed on the floor beside him, asking if he was alright.

"I'm fine…" he protested, wishing that they'd stop fussing. Embarrassed when he realized that he was covered in mud, Blu raised his wing to try and shield himself from view. Through his wing feathers, behind Eduardo and Mimi, he could make out a purple shape. This mystery bird had saved him from those four Hyacinths - whatever they were planning. Eduardo and Mimi whirled around, feathers rising in hostility as they saw it.

"Who are you?" demanded Eduardo, with clear mistrust. As the stranger came closer, they realized that it was a_ she_. She looked feminine, based by her small, light features and her visible eyelashes - she had to be female. She was grey-eyed, probably Eduardo's height, maybe an inch taller. She seemed like a macaw - but she was purple. On closer inspection, they realized that something wasn't right. Her beak, as well as her talons, was smeared in a purple-red substance, like the colour of her plumage. _That's not normal… _The bird sighed, and then reached up with a wing - the underside of her wings was dark blue, like that of a Hyacinth. She wiped the underside of her wing over her face, pausing - before she let her wing drop. A purple-red substance now stained the blue feathers of her upper wing - and now, they realized that the substance was a disguise. Her face was now navy, with yellow markings by her beak and eyes. Eduardo, Mimi and Blu immediately shrank back as they realized what species she was.

"A Hyacinth!" Mimi hissed. "Clever disguise - berry paint?" But then she frowned, looking her up and down. If she was a Hyacinth, why was she so small? She didn't look that young. Mimi would've thought that she was a Lear's macaw, but this bird lacked the metallic teal hue seen in Lear's. Besides, Lear's macaws weren't a common sight in the Amazon.

"Please don't panic." The Hyacinth said, slowly, looking on edge. "I'm not here to cause trouble." Mimi and Blu looked at each other, uncertain as to whether to believe her. Eduardo, however, didn't look convinced whatsoever.

"Get out." He ordered, simply. "Get out before I drag you out." However, after several moments of thought, Blu put a wing on his father-in-law's shoulder.

"Wait, Eduardo." He said, cautiously. "She… she saved me from those Hyacinths. Didn't you?" he asked, looking up at her. The disguised Hyacinth nodded slightly. Eduardo still looked angry, clearly reluctant to allow this Hyacinth to stay in his territory for a moment longer, regardless of the fact that she had saved Blu from the four Hyacinths. "Who are you?" he asked, feeling less wary now. The berry-juice stained Hyacinth blinked, looking nervous at Eduardo's hostility.

"My name is Mina." She said. Through the trees, there was a sound, like a strange animal call, and Mina's head whipped up at it. Eduardo and Mimi recognised it as a signal that the Hyacinth tribe used to call their tribe back to their headquarters. It was some sort of shell, or carved bone, apparently. Mina looked briefly panicked - then she spun round. "Don't go out alone!" she cried. "Kerja's planning to take someone, and then drive you all out - take your territory, in revenge for Jorge!" Mina blurted out. Without warning, Mina whirled around, and tore off through the trees. The three Spix's macaws were silent, staring at one another in bewilderment, at first - then terror, as the meaning of Mina's words sank into their brains. Within moments, they were rushing back to the ravine.

"What did she mean, _revenge?"_ Blu spluttered, as he hastily followed Eduardo and Mimi back to the ravine, struggling to keep up with them. "Who's Jorge?" he asked. The two older birds couldn't reply. They were flying too fast, but they both knew why Kerja wanted revenge. It had happened eighteen years ago.

Eduardo had killed Kerja's father.

_**Sorry for the delay, I've had such a busy two weeks. Anywho, the journey kicks off from this chapter! The next couple of chapters will show the epic journey. And, in case you're wondering, Jorge is Kerja's father in the last chapter's flashback.**_

_**I'm getting the idea that people don't like this story's length… does anyone mind this being almost twice as long as 'The Outcast'? It's quality, not quantity that counts, right? We'll probably end up at 30-something chapters - it's not really a problem, is it?**_


	20. A fatality

"Has something happened?" Mimi said, looking around her home in confusion. Upon Eduardo, Mimi and Blu's return to the ravine, they had sensed that something was wrong. Everyone seemed to be tense or panicked, their eyes darting around the ravine entrance and the top of the cliffs. Blu immediately split off from Eduardo and Mimi, making a beeline for his tree, to check on Jewel and Johanna. Was Jewel's condition the reason for the tribe's discontent?

"Jewel! Johanna!" he called, flying into his home. He was greeted by Johanna's voice - but he then felt a pang of worry, when he heard it. He started feeling nervous as it was whenever he was in here, but Johanna's voice made it worse. It had lost its silvery tone, replaced by strain and tremulousness. Blu stopped before he entered the small room Jewel was in, before stepping through the climbing plant. Jewel was lying in her down-filled nest, on her side, eyes closed, and her eye rims still stained in dark crimson. Jewel looked relatively unchanged, on the outside. But Johanna's expression was what worried Blu most. He rushed to Jewel's side, sitting and easing his wing beneath Jewel's head, to keep her comfortable while he put softer pieces of moss in place of the older bedding. Blu then retracted his wing, and sighed when Jewel looked much less uncomfortable.

"How is she?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Out of the corner of his eye, Johanna was sitting down, her wing resting on her forehead. He felt so sorry for her - she had a lot on her plate. Caring for Jewel, and missing her tribe and mate. Alejandro couldn't lead it for long - he wasn't the most leader-like of macaws, and the Blue-and-Golds always went to Johanna if they had troubles. Johanna's feathers, which were usually sleek, were fluffed and out of place from stress and fatigue. Her eyes were filled with exhaustion, and a worry that matched the tone of her voice.

"Jewel's okay for now." Johanna said, to his relief. "She hasn't improved, but she hasn't gotten worse, which is good. But…" she looked away. "Did you hear the awful news?"

"No," Blu replied, feeling uneasy. "I was outside the ravine. Why, what's happened?"

"It's _dreadful."_ Johanna replied, eyes closed. Jewel mumbled slightly, before she covered her head with a wing, letting out a feeble cough. Johanna's lime-green eyes opened, and flickered to her patient for a few seconds, before they returned to Blu. "Do you know that young female Spix's, Catia?"

Meanwhile, as Mimi and Eduardo arrived at the latter's tree, they were greeted by a bedraggled-looking patrol. Around the tree, dozens of tribe members were gathered, muttering in unease. The patrol of five - hadn't seven gone out originally? - included Roberto and Isaac. Isaac often accompanied his father on patrols, because he loved exploration and sight-seeing. The decision to not go to Peru must've been difficult for him, since he was so inquisitive. The father and son looked on edge, their similar crest feathers spiked from their panic, a trait Roberto's entire brood seemed to have inherited. Isaac especially looked the most shaken - as they came closer, Mimi and Eduardo were alarmed to see a trail of blood on Isaac's face, from a cut on his cheek. As they looked at the others, they identified claw marks, grazes, and bald patches, from where feathers had been ripped out. Blood marked the cerulean feathers, and most of them looked exhausted and bedraggled. Before either of them could ask what happened, Roberto stepped forward to speak. Just then, Sophia and Bromeliad flew through the gap between Eduardo and Mimi, rushing to Roberto and Isaac. Sophia immediately began fussing over her eldest son's cheek wound, while Bromeliad was standing back, looking disturbed and fearful.

"Isaac!" Sophia fretted. "Look at your face! What happened?"

"The Hyacinths happened. We were just attacked by four of them!" Roberto said, from where he was clutching a navy blue feather in his right talon. With Bromeliad examining her brother, Sophia turned her attention to her mate, reaching up to his face with both her wings, looking at a splash of red on his beak. Her dark blue eyes were filled with concern. "It's not my blood." He assured her, before wiping his wing across his face. He turned back to Eduardo and Mimi. "We put up quite a fight - eventually, two of the Hyacinths were too injured to continue, and they were outnumbered by six to two, meaning that the whole group had to retreat."

"_Six?"_ Mimi repeated, in bewilderment. "Four Hyacinths took on _six _Spix's macaws? Hang on… there are five of you, here now. Six… I thought seven went on the patrol?"

"Yes." Roberto said, suddenly looking pained. He looked at the rest of his patrol members, all of whom displayed remorseful expressions. "Tobias, however, was injured rather… severely. We had to take him to the Spix's wing, and he's there now, being tended to. But there's something worse - Catia was among us…" he looked at the others, and they all looked depressed and miserable. Catia was a female tribe mate, and Eduardo remembered how she had been a friend of Jewel's, as a child. But based by her lack of attendance and the patrol's faces, Eduardo and Mimi could only guess what happened - and they dreaded hearing it. Behind the patrol, they could see a pile of wide leaves - but it wasn't entirely made of leaves. The leaves were covering something - a small flash of blue was visible through a gap in them, despite efforts to conceal every visible sign of what lay beneath. On the edge of the visible blue, there was a cloud of scarlet. Roberto's voice shook as he spoke again. "It was with one of those cutting tools humans use to cut those writing sheets with. It went to the heart. It was a quick death, but… she was in agony as she died."

Horrified gasps sounded around them. Sophia, too, gasped, wing covering her beak. Her eyes glistened with tears, as did Roberto's, and he pulled her into a comforting embrace. Like with Jewel, Catia had been a friend of Roberto and Sophia, growing up. From somewhere in the crowd, there was the agonized wail of a female macaw. Looking through the sea of blue, Mimi saw Catia's twin sister, Trix - she had crumpled to her knees, face buried in her wings as she wept. While tribe mates rushed to comfort her for her loss, Roberto began speaking again. "The Hyacinths… seemed to be targeting someone in particular." He looked down at Isaac, sweeping a protective wing around his son's shoulders. Isaac hesitated before speaking.

"They tried to take me away." Isaac admitted, and there were more gasps from the crowd. "One grabbed me, and tried to fly away with me, but that's where Catia died, attacking him so he would drop me. That's where she got stabbed." This news only made Trix sob even more, and Isaac flinched with guilt - maybe he shouldn't have said that part about Catia's death. Eduardo and Mimi looked at each other, before remembering what they had just witnessed outside the ravine. After they felt it was appropriate, they then described what had happened. The four Hyacinths, seeming to have inside information - trying to take Blu - and then the one tiny Hyacinth, Mina, who had saved him. By the end, everyone looked shell-shocked, and Roberto especially looked stunned beyond belief.

"There's no question now." Eduardo said, looking solemn. "The Hyacinths are planning an attack - Mina confirmed that to us."

"How do you know you can trust her?" challenged a young male. Shouts of agreement sounded from around him. "She's one of them! Did you say 'Mina'? _Kerja's daughter _is called Mina!" at this, shouts of protest came from the tribe, all against trusting Mina.

"We have to trust her, regardless of who her mother is! We don't have a choice!" Mimi interrupted, but she didn't sound confident. None of the tribe looked convinced. She turned to Eduardo, expectantly, waiting for him to reassure the tribe. He then turned to the crowd, who were whispering and looking stricken.

"Nobody panic!" he demanded, but his words didn't reassure any of them. His voice was almost drowned out by his tribe's - cries from chicks, shouting from adults, the mutterings of the elderly. "We were informed that the Hyacinths are trying to kidnap one of our own - for information. Everyone must remain calm - never go out alone - be careful - and try not to venture too far from the ravine or surrounding grove of trees."

"What about Catia?" cried someone in the crowd, an older female. "Justice must be done!"

"Justice will be given, Jacinta!" Eduardo shouted back. "She will be avenged. But for now, we must put the tribe's safety first, to prevent any more deaths. We will bury Catia, and then we will figure out what to do next!" the tribe, while still looking unsettled, now looked more satisfied with this news. After several moments, the crowd broke apart, and Eduardo gathered several members to start digging a grave for Catia. Trix came up, gently moving the leaves apart so she could see her twin one final time. Eduardo turned to Mimi, and Roberto and his family, who remained. "They killed a tribe member." He spluttered, unable to get over it. Rage was burning within him - Catia had been such a young bird, with her whole life ahead of her. And it had been snatched away by Kerja's fiends. Hopefully Catia would be the only fatality - but some part of Eduardo believed that this incident was the beginning of their problems.

_Meanwhile_

Iquitos was the fifth-largest city in Peru, and the largest in the Peruvian rainforest. Bia couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement, as the city melted into view - they would soon encounter their first Peruvian city, and it was an exciting thought. Their first city outside Brazil. They had crossed into Peru a couple of hours ago, and now their first city was minutes away.

As they got closer, they noticed several humans sitting on the decks or in boats, hauling fish-loaded nets out of the water, while others were using fishing rods. As they passed over the first huts, flying further into Iquitos, the buildings grew more modern. Below them, Peruvians were going about their day to day activities - a farmer ushering along two cows, with a dog trotting beside him, occasionally running on one cow's side to stop it veering away into the road. A fisherman setting up his stall, slinging dead fish onto the table, while other various stall owners were arranging second-hand objects or cutting up exotic fruit. A small truck drove on the dirt road, with several small, cut trees loaded onto it. Children tottered along the ground, their parents running after them, while birds from the rainforest perched upon buildings, watching the humans below. Macaws, Amazons, all matter of birds were here, all but few the young birds could identify. Orchid, Bruno and Azure all looked amazed, as they looked down upon the sights below. Bia, Carla and Tiago had been born and raised in Rio, and seen so many cities on their way to and from it and the Amazon - in contrast, their wild-born friends had never seen cities, as small as Iquitos was.

"I never imagined we could see so many humans, all in one place!" Azure exclaimed, his eyes filled with wonder and curiosity, mirroring that of Bruno and Orchid.

"If you think this is a lot, you'll be shocked when or if we fly over a more major city." Bia flew closer to Azure, her wing-tips tracing his. At this, Azure swerved closer to her, landed a quick kiss on her cheek. Her heart bouncing, her cheek feeling warm, Bia gave him an adoring smile. She then reached into the bag, which was tied to one of her ankles, and pulled out the atlas pages. Flipping through them, she found one of those solid colour maps that showed the urbanization - buildings, cities, travel. According to the map, at the end of the city, there was a small, minor train line that cut through the rainforest - likely moving faster than they could fly in a day. The train line moved throughout Peru, heading to Tarapoto, which was near the middle of Peru. On a train, moving through the country toward its midpoint - it was a good way to start looking for a magical flower.

_**Throughout the next couple of chapters, we'll be more focused on the journey, rather than what's happening back home. I'll probably show small scenes from home, to show the separate situations with the Hyacinths and Jewel getting worse. I'd just like to thank you all for your incredible support, with my announcement in the previous chapter regarding the story length. It means so much to me, and it's such a relief. Thanks! Also, the train line is made up - I doubt there's one going through any rainforest. I just wanted a train scene, to break up the old flying routine.**_

_**Also, before I go, I have a question for you all. Okay, so Blu and Jewel's kids are teens here. Carla and Bia are voiced by teenagers themselves in Rio 2, so their voices won't have changed much by this point, I'm certain. But then what about Tiago? He must've undergone a voice change, because he sounds so young in Rio 2. If an actor was to voice the teenaged Tiago, who would be the most suitable and why? I'd personally pick Josh Gad, and I'm sure you guys all know who he is - Frozen, Ice Age 4. Anyway, I think it would be Gad because he'd got a voice that would suit Tiago, and it's also because I can't see Tiago having the voice of a big song artist. If you guys can think of another great actor to voice him, who do you think? You don't have to, of course, just a bit of fun. **_


	21. Flying red feathers

The sun was beginning to dip behind the horizon, staining the sky with hues like golden, amber, pink, and lilac. The very edge of the sky, opposite to the setting sun, was a dark, rich blue-black, with slowly-brightening white specks indicating the presence of stars. Overhead, the trees were moving past swiftly, leaves and flowers sprouting out occasionally. The wood beneath their talons bounced a little as the train moved, and the breeze ruffled their feathers.

It was the kind of train Bia, Carla and Tiago had seen on several occasions in movies, like ones where the protagonists were on a journey or on the run from something or someone. It dragged what looked like wooden boxes, all of which had large holes in them from the floor to the ceiling. In the carriages along, legs hanging out of the sides of the train indicated the presence of travelling humans. In the train boxes, there were various crates and sacks that contained anything from hay to coal - the hay made a comfortable nest for them. While the others were sleeping on crates or on the hay, Carla was sitting on the side, legs hanging out. She closed her eyes in bliss - this was a wonderful thing, the train. They could see the rainforest moving past without tiring from flight, and that breeze was wonderful - relatively cool, a break from the humid air of South America.

She looked at her friends - Orchid and Tiago were lying in some hay, sleeping lightly, while Bia and Azure were perched upon the highest crate, the latter having his wing around her. Bia's head was resting on his shoulder, and Azure's chin as on her head as they slept. _Such romantics._ Meanwhile, Bruno was sitting beside Carla, a few inches of space between them. He had tried to shuffle closer to her several times, but she had moved up a little each time, making him give up. They were sitting in silence, watching the world run by. Since Carla was so focused on the rainforest, Bruno could look at her without her questioning him for staring. She looked ever so pretty, as usual, but she was most beautiful he'd ever seen her right now. Her emerald green eyes were luminous, even in the dimming light. The breeze stirred her head feathers, sending the wavy ends bouncing up and down, and her black eyelashes were shadowing her cheeks every time she closed her eyes. He edged his wing along, touching her own wing from where it was lying on the floor. This time, Carla didn't retract her wing. Her eyes flicked down briefly, before she resumed to looking back outside. Bruno looked back at their sleeping companions, making sure that they were asleep, before he decided to ask her.

"Carla…" he cleared his throat before speaking. His friend looked up, smiling, but her eyes were irritated. Clearly, she thought he was going to ask her to be his girlfriend again. He wasn't - but it was linked to that. There was something he had to know. Bruno needed to know _why._

"Yes, Bruno?" she sighed, looking away. Bruno felt the familiar, disappointed feeling in his heart as she prepared to change the subject again.

"There's something I'd like to ask you -" he began, but Carla opened her beak to speak, her eyes set on the sky above - she was clearly going to talk about the sky. "No." he interrupted, cutting her off. "It's not what you think." Carla looked at him, taking her eyes off the sky, and she looked confused - and then relieved.

"You had me frightened there." She said, jokingly. "I thought you were talking about something serious…" her voice faded as she saw the look on his face. "…it is something serious, isn't it?" she guessed, her voice dropping as Tiago and Orchid shifted in their sleep. Bruno looked at their four sleeping friends, double-checking to ensure that they were asleep, before speaking.

"Look, Carla - I really do like you." Bruno said, his heart speeding up as she looked uncomfortable, awkward.

"Oh, boy." She groaned, looking away.

"You know we're going out. Don't deny it - my mom talks to yours, and they both think the same thing." Carla's eyes flashed, and he knew that her cheeks had gone cerise under the cerulean plumage. She looked down at her talons, her heart bouncing in her chest. She knew where this was going. It wasn't fair on him - she kept shutting him out, because of her stupid fears. She knew Bruno - But she couldn't help but have her doubts.

"I know." She admitted. "And I like you too." _Idiot! Why did you say that? _She scolded herself. Bruno blinked, his eyes full of mixed emotion - curiosity, nerves, and something she couldn't place her wingtip on.

"Then… why haven't we done anything about it?" he prompted. Carla bit her lower beak. "It's been so many months, Carli - why won't you be my girlfriend? I'm not impatient, but… it's just, many girls would love the thought of being one. Your first relationship…" Bruno didn't say Augustus's name. "You guys only went out for two weeks before you got together. But it's been months for us. I mean, I like you, and you like me… and do you remember what happened a few weeks ago? You kissed me." He tipped his head to the side. Carla had to suppress a smile at that memory - she couldn't have helped it. They had been in the mango grove together, and she had just kissed him, before pulling away as someone flew by. Bruno looked at her again. "Why, then? Is it your confidence?"

"Something like that." She said. Carla covered her face with her wings, as she had an image of what she saw in her reflection. She wasn't at all happy with what she saw. "I'm overweight, Bruno. We both know it, and no matter how many times I listen to or sing all those songs - 'Just the Way You Are', 'Beautiful', and 'All About That Bass' - I can't be happy with how I am." Bruno sighed, running his wingtips through his head feathers in frustration, before placing a wing on her shoulder.

"For goodness sake, Carla - you're curvy. Not fat. We've talked about this - and you're beautiful as you are, you should know that from the songs you listen to." She was indeed curvy, and it suited her so much. They'd had this conversation so many times. Just a few weeks ago, she had fretted over her appearance in a mirror shard, as they prepared to sing a song in the club. She had complained that she looked a little fat, but Bruno had rushed to reassure her. Even his compliments hadn't soothed her worries. Now that he looked at her, she looked thinner then she had been back then - a little too gaunt. He'd been watching her as she ate, recently - come to think of it, she didn't eat that often nowadays. Whenever she did eat, she was skipping meals, claiming she wasn't hungry, or barely eating more than a few bites of her food. She was pushing herself to exercise. She did this by racing him or any of her friends, and when he or they got tired, she was still going, wings a blur, exhausted but still pushing herself to go on. It wasn't good for her, and he was worried that she could go too far with her weight loss scheme. Bruno looked into her eyes - they looked shadowed. _Her confidence isn't just it, is it? _"That's not the only thing, is it?" he asked, gently. He'd had this suspicion for a while, when he noticed Carla glaring at Augustus every time she saw him.

"Of course it's the only thing." She insisted, but Bruno could tell that she was lying.

"Is it what happened between you and Gus, all those months ago?"

"No." she lied. She felt a pang of anger and disgust as she heard her ex-boyfriend's name.

"Carla, you have to understand. I'm not like Gus." Bruno insisted, looking frustrated and a little hurt. He despised the idea of Carla thinking him to be like Augustus. He would _never _call Carla fat, even if she wasn't there to hear it. "I would never call you fat, let alone insult you or talk about you behind your back to impress my friends. You can't allow_ one _comment to hold you back! He made a mistake, but that doesn't mean that every single relationship you will ever have will end because of one." He narrowed his brown eyes. He suddenly felt incredibly frustrated. All the frustration he was having over the last few months had come together. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"I do trust you!" Carla exclaimed in protest. She suddenly felt hot anger wash over her. She had to get it out - he had to understand. "Alright. Maybe I _don't_ trust you whole-heartedly, but I don't want my heart broken again! This could go down in flames, Bruno - just like me and Gus. I don't want the humiliation and awkwardness that comes after it ends!"

"I won't break your heart!" Bruno protested, sounding angry now. "Don't you get it? I'd _never_ break up with you, because I think you're beautiful. Not just for your _looks,_ it's for _you. _You're funny, talented, and the best macaw I've ever met. I could never get tired of looking at you, or talking to you. Anyone would be lucky to have you, but you don't see it. And no, I wouldn't break your heart. It would be your decision as to whether our relationship ends, because I could never break up with you." He suddenly felt embarrassed, and looked away, not daring to look at Carla's face. "Please. Just see how much I really like you - use this journey to think about it. I understand that you need time to get over how your last relationship ended. But what hurts me most is that you don't trust me. You haven't been fair." Bruno then moved his feet, standing up. Briefly, he hesitated - then he spoke with a heavy sigh. "Tell you what. Here's an ultimatum for you. I will never ask you to be my girlfriend again." Carla looked up at him, eyes wide.

"What?" she asked, in bewilderment. "But… are you sure?" Bruno nodded, looking a little reluctant.

"On one condition. Should you ever think that you're ready, you have to ask_ me_ to be your boyfriend. Alright? Look, I'm happy being friends. But I know we're much more than that." Bruno then turned, and flew up to a crate, leaving Carla in stunned silence as the meaning of his words sunk in. Briefly, she hesitated, before sighing. It made sense.

"Okay." She replied, and his head snapped up. She then felt incredibly culpable, and she knew that her eyes were full of guilt. "Look… I haven't been fair to you. I'm really sorry."

"Thank you." He said, before shuffling around his crate, to get comfortable. Before he settled, he looked up at her, with insistent eyes. "One last thing. Please - stop your diet, Carla. You don't need it, and if you keep going, you could hurt yourself."

"You think?" Carla asked, in a tremulous voice.

"Have I ever lied to you, or anyone for that matter, Carla?" Bruno asked, before he tucked his head beneath his wing, to sleep. Carla stared at him, thinking about his words, before she looked back outside, staring into the trees. His words sunk in, and she knew that he was right. She sighed, and leaned against the gap frame, watching the moon rising over the trees.

_Meanwhile_

It was the evening, and the entire Red tribe were gathered outside their hollows, to watch the sunset. Today, it seemed unusual - the sun was unusually red as it sank lower into the horizon, like a berry dipped in blood. It was both a little disturbing and beautiful. Felipe and Azalea were multitasking - an eye on the sunset, as well as watching Adele and Leti, as they hopped from branch-to-branch, flapping their wings as they did. Each time, they managed to stay airborne for a few seconds, before they were forced to make a landing. They only needed a bit more practise, and then they could try free flight into open air. Felipe remembered learning to fly for the first time - it had been thrilling and scary at the same time. He was looking forward to seeing the looks on the faces of his daughters, when they finally flew properly for the first time. Despite his uplifted mood, there was something in the back of his mind that worried him.

Every day, his patrols returned, reporting trespassing and attacks from armed Hyacinth patrols. Many of regular patrols bore bruises and wounds - a young male had even broken his wing, and two of his tribe members were missing. Chicks and elderly had literally been forbidden from leaving the Kapoks, for their own safety. Felipe was also increasingly worried as he learned where trespassing Hyacinths had been caught. He had had somebody keep track of the areas, and each time, the trespassing crept closer to the heart of his territory - to the point where trespassing had been recorded thirty metres from the Kapoks his tribe called home. Sentries were posted around the Kapoks, to watch for any sign of navy blue macaws with yellow face markings, but so far, the trespassing activity had been most active further away.

Felipe wanted to confront Kerja over the matter - but he was humiliated to admit that he was terrified of the Hyacinth's matriarch. She was twice his size and weight, older, and the sight of her twisted, mangled foot was enough to make him flinch and feel bile rise in his throat. And she was so barbaric and mean-spirited that he was certain that her territory had been effected by it. Since she came into power, the Hyacinth macaw territory had withered. From the few glimpses of it he got, he saw shrivelled fruit and leaves, and half-dead trees. The sky was never entirely blue, but covered in grey cloud. Kerja was also brutal in battle -_ No,_ Felipe thought. _'Brutal' isn't good enough. She's a tyrant. _It was common knowledge that, over fifteen years ago, she had done something truly terrible, when she drove out the Glaucous macaw tribe. To stop anymore deaths, the Glaucous leader had called a hasty surrender, agreeing to leave and go peacefully. Kerja had agreed to this, but, unexpectedly, she had suddenly motioned to some Hyacinths. At her command, they immediately seized a random Glaucous macaw, a young male, and dragged him before Kerja. To show the Glaucous what would happen if they came back, Kerja had literally hacked off the chosen macaw's wing, with a human knife, before shoving him off the branch. The Glaucous macaw tribe, horrified, had immediately fled, and that was the last time they were seen. Azalea had told Felipe this, for she had been informed by Johanna and Alejandro, who had made this sickening discovery when they had gone there, in secret, to try and help the injured.

The two Blue-and-Golds had only found corpses, and a few Glaucous macaws beyond saving - then they found the unfortunate soul who had had his wing removed, who would have bled to death had they not found him. It had been a miracle that he was still alive, hours later. Johanna and Alejandro had taken him back to their territory, and nursed him back to health - it had been an exhausting process, taking weeks for the Glaucous macaw to heal. He had been tortured in his sleep by nightmares of Hyacinths and human knives. The Glaucous macaw had refused to look at his left side for weeks, but when he finally had, he had been horrified. With one wing, and no way to reattach the lost one, the Glaucous macaw would have never flew again. Devastated as he realized this, the Glaucous macaw shocked Johanna and Alejandro when he suddenly spun round, launching himself out of the tree - and crashing down to the forest floor. To the horror of the Blue-and-Gold tribe, they realized that he had done it on purpose, killing himself by the fall. He would rather die, than stay grounded forever.

Trying to escape this thought, Felipe turned his mind to other things. He had been looking for any sign of Roberto or Eduardo at the Spix's border, but he hadn't seen anything. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any Spix's macaws for some time as of recent. The occasional flash of cerulean was all he saw, and he was getting worried. He'd seen Hyacinths going in there - and it was said that a few had been seen entering the territory of the Blue-and-Golds. With the Blue-and-Golds a leader short, they were vulnerable - and they didn't know how to defend themselves. Someone was probably going to get hurt over there. By now, the sun was almost entirely gone, and the Amazon had grown dark. Adele and Leti had finally given up trying to fly, and had wandered into the hollow, for bed.

Most of the tribe should've been going back inside by now, but some reason, there was an air of suspense hanging over the Kapoks. Most of them were still lingering outside their hollows, muttering in unease. It then occurred to Felipe that the patrols were late - usually, they came back before it darkened. As Felipe was thinking this over, he was then aware of the sound of frantically beating wings - several of them. He knew that the wings were of the patrols - but something was wrong. What was the hurry? "Felipe." Azalea then said, her voice sounding like splintering wood. Felipe looked up at his mate, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the main Kapok entrance, unable to tear her hazel gaze away from it. Something he hadn't seen in her eyes for a long time - terror. Wondering what could make his near-fearless mate frightened, Felipe followed her gaze to see what she was looking at, and he was in for a shock. Six patrols and all the sentries were racing in all at once, bloodied and struggling to fly. They were shouting, telling everyone to flee. Then the entire tribe heard it - battle cries, and dozens of Hyacinth macaw squawks.

It happened so fast. Like floodwater, the Hyacinths came crashing in, wielding sharp human objects, donning war paint that was designed to frighten any opponent. This was no pretty paint for tribe dances - these were frightening shades of blood-red, night-black and bone-white, painted to resemble a bird's skeleton. The Scarlet and Green-Winged macaws couldn't defend themselves, not against the Hyacinths - they were hopelessly overpowered. Unprepared, and while they were larger in number, the Hyacinths were twice their size and armed with deadly weapons. In the few minutes it took, Felipe saw several tribe members drop out of the sky - he couldn't tell whether they were brutally injured or dead. Feathers and blood flew in all directions, most of it from the Red tribe. More bodies were falling, more anguished cries as macaws saw their loved ones fall - and Felipe was horrified as he saw his tribe - some of whom were his friends - fall, slain. Every falling body ripped his heart, and his ability to fight was reducing, so much so that his tribemates had to rush in to help. In the trees, Hyacinths were forcing their way into the Kapok hollows, throwing out the terrified macaws that were hidden within, regardless as to whether they were old and frail, or injured.

Then, after an unbelievably short amount of time, the Reds knew that they had only one choice. Leave, or die. There was no question - they had to go, right now, if they wanted to survive. Just as he prepared to call signal for retreat, Felipe heard a scream that made his blood run cold. He spun round, and saw a Hyacinth, dragging Adele and Leti from their nest - and then, without hesitation, it threw the two chicks out, sending them plummeting to the forest floor. With his heart in his throat, Felipe immediately rushed forward, flying so fast it hurt his wings. He was shouting their names, telling them to flap their wings - but they were too young to do it properly. Leti then stopped screaming, for Azalea had appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her from the air. But Azalea then screeched.

"Adele!" She cried, in panic. Felipe could hear Adele still screaming, for she was still falling through the air, moments from hitting the forest floor. Felipe folded his wings, plunging down - then his talons were wrapping around his younger daughter. He could barely describe the relief that was in his heart as he caught Adele. Safe in his talons, Adele was trembling and crying at the same time, so frightened that Felipe could feel her heartbeat in his claws. Enraged, his initial thought was to hand her over to Azalea and launch himself back into battle. But he knew that was impossible. He'd be killed. There was just one thing they could do.

"Everybody, get out of here!" He commanded, at the top of his voice. Immediately, the Red macaws stopped fighting. And then they were flying for their lives - many supporting each other, carrying the injured, and young chicks and unhatched eggs. Felipe looked over his shoulder, at the place he had been born, grew up in. He was abandoning it to save his mate, daughters, his tribe. He stared at the Hyacinths, who looked back with prideful, gloating expressions. Then he turned, and followed Azalea and Leti.

And then the Red tribe were gone - fleeing their own home. Leaving the Kapok grove behind, with only cheering Hyacinths and red feathers in it.


	22. Nostalgia

Their first morning in Peru was a little different to those of Brazilian mornings. It didn't look different, but it certainly felt different. The sky was a pale blue, covered in shredded, snowy-white cloud, and the sun was usually covered or peeking out from them. A fresh breeze blew through the train, which was rattling along the tracks. It was slightly less humid today - at least it seemed like it, with the swiftly moving train.

When she had woken that morning, Bia was made aware of the fact that there seemed to be an air of tension between her sister and Bruno. They weren't talking much, and any exchanged conversation was a little awkward-sounding. Carla in particular was being a little distant, and Tiago had noticed it too. He leaned toward Bia's ear to whisper, so that their older sister couldn't hear. "What's up with them?" he inquired, indicating toward Bruno and Carla, or 'Brula', as Tiago and Bia called them. For each of them, the other two siblings had created such names. The two sisters had invented 'Tiachid' for Tiago and Orchid, and Carla and Tiago had thought of 'Azia' for Azure and Bia. Bia looked at her brother, answering him with a shrug.

"I don't know. Maybe they had a fight last night, while we were sleeping." She suggested, and Tiago nodded, showing that he shared her idea.

"I hope it wasn't anything big." Tiago commented, sounding concerned. "They're so good together." Behind them, Azure and Orchid were leafing through Bia's sketchbook, astounded by the quality and accuracy of each one.

"Seriously, Bia -" Orchid said, sounding amazed. "How do you_ do_ this stuff? It looks so real - you can see all the filaments of the feathers, and every little piece of bark in a tree trunk. It's amazing!"

"Thanks, Orc." Bia said, blushing at Orchid's praise. She walked up to Azure and Orchid, before flipping forward a few pages. "This is where we were born." She said, meaning herself, Tiago, and Carla. "I believe this is the view from a building called the Vista Chinesa - it's Rio." Bruno then wandered over, to have a look. The three wild-born birds couldn't take their eyes from the page - it showed the Redeemer statue, the city and the ocean view. Bia had drawn the image from the screen background of a computer in the Spix's wing, a few months back, in that time when she had been healing from her burn injuries.

"What a weird-looking mountain!" Bruno mused, indicating toward one that looked like half an oval. Carla giggled, forgetting the tension between her and Bruno.

"That's Sugarbread Mountain, or something…"

"Sugar_loaf_ Mountain, sis." Bia reminded her, and the others chuckled at Carla's mistake, who rolled her eyes. Bia then closed the sketchbook, dropping it back into the bag. It was rather breezy, so it was a good idea to ensure that there was no chance of any pages getting blown away. Tiago looked outside, where the trees were bending in the wind.

"So," he said, fluffing up his feathers. "When do we get off this thing?" all eyes turned to Bia, who remembered what it said on that sign, at the train station.

"Well, I'd say a few hours. We don't have to worry about waiting for the next train for a few days, since another one comes along every two hours. I'd suggest getting off when we reach somewhere that's got more hills. It's not likely to have landed in the lower rainforest - somewhere higher above sea level. If we have no luck, we can catch the next train." Bia replied.

"Great plan. Don't think of me as silly, but I have a feeling that… we'll _know_ when we're near it - we'll know not to board the next train, to keep looking. Get what I mean, or do I sound plain weird?" Azure wrapped his left wing around Bia as he spoke.

"I think it makes sense." Bruno said, and the others nodded in agreement. The group then gradually dispersed, to have a look around the train box. It was fairly old; the wood was rotting in places, and cobwebs were stretching from the corners. At the sight of this, Orchid winced a little, and started looking around the floor, nervous. Tiago poked her playfully in the ribs.

"What, scared of spiders?" he teased, brown eyes dancing with mischief.

"I'm not_ scared_ of them…" Orchid objected. "They just creep me out. They're hairy, with those spindly, freaky legs… do you know what Isaac and Azure did, when we were little? I wasn't that old, only a week or two - they were playing this game with Bromeliad. It was a load of pebbles, all stacked up - small ones supporting heavy ones, and so on. I tripped and knocked it over, by accident. When it was bedtime, Azure and Isaac thought it would be very _amusing_ to put a huge spider in my nest. Mom and dad were furious, since I was so little compared to them." When Tiago started laughing, she narrowed her eyes. "It wasn't funny - it was a hideous spider - and don't think it'll be funny to play a prank on me."

"Don't you worry, I won't." Tiago assured her, before remembering another spider-related funny story. "It's funnier when dad gets scared by them. I told you about the first night I was here, right? Before you were born. Did I tell you about the first time I went outside, at a few weeks, maybe days old?" when Orchid shook her head, Tiago stared grinning. "I was a hatchling - all covered in baby feathers. I saw this spider, but I wasn't scared. I just picked it up and went back into our birdhouse, thinking that he'd be interested. I said, 'Daddy, look -' and he turned round and practically _screamed."_

"No way." Orchid began giggling, before it turned to musical laughter. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious! Mom had to get rid of it." The excitement from Tiago's voice then faded, as he remembered his mother. Orchid stopped laughing, and her icy-blue eyes flooded with sympathy. Jewel had been healthy, back then - eyes bright and clear, always smiling and laughing. But now he could barely remember the last time he saw Jewel's smile. She hadn't laughed for weeks, with her illness setting in. Just the memory of her happier times made his eyes glisten with tears. He blinked rapidly to hide it, and sniffed. Orchid gave his wing a gentle squeeze.

"She'll get rid of another spider for him again." She said, comfortingly. But Tiago couldn't be fully convinced - this was a shot in the dark, this journey. From as early as he remembered, he was almost fearless, but now, he was a little daunted by the idea of venturing into a strange country - but he was most daunted by the thought of the cure. Like his sisters, he shared their doubtful view on how this myth could prove real. The Estrella sounded rather fabricated - like a story a parent had invented to get their chicks to sleep. Hoping to forget it, Tiago pushed it to the back of his mind, desperate for a subject change.

"How do you think your family's getting on?" Tiago asked, turning his eyes to the outside.

"Oh, I don't know…" Orchid sighed. "I miss them all so much. Mom, dad, Isaac, Bromeliad… and I'm missing home already." Orchid's expression was nostalgic and distant - thinking of them, as well as home. Tiago missed his family too; of course he had both his sisters with him, but he had left Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi behind. He missed home as well, like Orchid - he missed everything. He missed seeing his untidy bedroom, hanging out with his other friends, and sneaking onto the tourist boats to call Nico, Pedro, Rafael and the others in Rio. But most of all, he missed his mom and dad.

He knew that he and Orchid weren't the only ones feeling nostalgic. Carla sometimes uttered lyrics in her sleep, clearly remembering singing in the club and listening to her iPod, while Bia often murmured quotes from her favourite book, _The Fault in Our Stars. _Bruno was quiet for long periods of time, eyes misty with memory, while Azure was often awake for several hours before drifting off, lost in thought. These were clear indications that they were missing home and their families. Orchid then sat herself down on the edge, patting the wood beside her invitingly. Tiago sat himself down, and Orchid leaned on his shoulder, eyes closing as she sighed. "I can't wait to get home." She murmured. Tiago couldn't wait, either. He had been thrilled at the prospect of adventure at first, but now he just wanted to find the cure and go back to Brazil, where he belonged. He also felt incredibly unsafe - Peru was full of danger, and now that there was no sanctuary to guarantee their safety, anything could happen.

On his shoulder, Orchid had drifted off, and was sliding toward the floor as sleep took over her body. To make sure she didn't fall off the edge, he edged them both away from it, so that a few more inches were between them and the edge of the train. Orchid, now in deep sleep, was now lying on her stomach, wings under her chin like a pillow. She always slept like that, with her head feathers cascading over her eyes. As she breathed, one of the longest feathers floated up and down. For some reason, that one was about an inch or so longer than the rest of them. That was one of the things Tiago loved about Orchid - she was a teenager, but she still acted and appeared so childlike. Everything from her rounded face and tousled feather style to her behaviour habits, he found adorable. She always brightened up his day, when he was feeling a little blue.

_Later_

Bia's dreams were usually pleasant. Filled with sunrays, ripe fruit, books, or those she loved. But this one was different. She was being chased by something - something large, with ragged feathers, and a harsh squawk that made her blood feel like ice melt. She could hear her name being called from her friends - they sounded terrified, shouting at her to fly faster, but she couldn't. Then something grabbed her from behind, and she was locked in a sharp pair of claws. Bia struggled against them, but the grasp was impossibly tight. They crushed her ribs, left her lungs struggling to breathe. She was shouting, crying out for help, but the claws only clutched her more tightly, cutting her off.

"_Bia." _said a voice, but it was distant, like a whisper in the breeze._ "Bia…"_ it was getting louder now, and Bia could not longer see clearly as the talons spun her round. Whoever her captor was had a blurry face - but she could see the cruel, hooked beak, and the small, penetrating eyes. It opened it's beak, shrieking in her face with an ear-splitting cry. Then the distant voice was loud, tearing through her dream. The creature suddenly vanished, but Bia could still feel it's talons. _"Bia! Wake up!" _a pair of talons was shaking her now - real talons, but not as large as the claws in her dream. Bia jolted awake, writhing as she was still half-caught in her nightmare, and she cried out in panic, unsure what was real and what wasn't. "Sssh! It's okay! It's just a dream!" the voice washed over her, and she then recognised it as it became clear. She stopped struggling - she was tightly enveloped in silky feathers. She then realized that she was wrapped in Azure's wings, and she could feel his racing heartbeat. Bia screwed her eyes closed, shaking, waiting for the realism of her dream to fade away. After a few moments, her heart beat began to slow down. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and found herself staring at a wall of blue - Azure's feathers. He was staring down at her with wide, fearful blue eyes. "You okay?" he asked, softly.

Bia didn't reply; she simply pressed herself against him, trembling slightly, as he gently stroked her head feathers with a wing. Eventually, she managed to speak. "I'm fine." She mumbled, awkwardly. "Just a bad dream."

"You were shouting…" Azure said, looking down at the figures below. It was a miracle that the others hadn't woken - Tiago had shifted, and Bruno had muttered, but that was about it. Orchid, being a heavy sleeper, hadn't moved a muscle, while Carla was currently murmuring song lyrics in her dreams. He looked down at Bia, lightly brushing the ruffled feathers around her eyes to smooth them down. "What was it about?" he asked, worriedly. Bia did talk in her sleep, but it was usually positive. Like book quotes, or family and friend names. Nothing like this, though.

"I was being chased by something." She explained, in a shaking voice. "Something horrible, with huge claws, a hooked beak…"

"Claws, hooked beak?" Azure asked, frowning. He couldn't envision what Bia was dreaming of. "What colour was it?"

"I… I don't know. I couldn't tell." Bia was practically being held up by Azure, her wings draped around his neck. She dragged her feet into standing, so that she could stand unsupported. She pried herself from his wings, sitting down on the crate. She could feel herself sweating, and her heart was still racing, a few heartbeats quicker than normal. Azure sat next to her, draping a wing around her shoulders like a blue cloak.

"It's okay." He said, his silvery tone soothing and tender. "Sure you're alright?"

"I'm _fine."_ Bia replied, feeling much less panicked as she heard his voice. The floor was washed with golden sunlight, and the sky was now clear of cloud. Just the view of the good weather was enough to make her feel calmer. She looked outside, and saw how the land was beginning to slope upwards. Maybe now would be a good time to begin their search. She shook off his wing, hoping to forget the dream.

Meanwhile, Azure, while assured that Bia was fine, had a weird feeling. He didn't know why it was, but he had a feeling that he should keep an eye on her. She was one of the most vulnerable of them all, with her slow flight speed and petite size. Suddenly, the journey seemed a little intimidating - Azure just had one of those feelings that something was going to go wrong.


	23. Refuge

"I don't like this." Remarked Bruno, from where he stood, on a large, thick root. That reminded Bia, Carla and Tiago of their first time in the Amazon, for that had been one of the first things Nico had said as he looked around the unfamiliar jungle. Now, in the Peruvian Amazon, it also felt like that to them; daunting, unfamiliar, even if it's appearance didn't differ much from that of the Brazilian Amazon. It was the same as the Amazon they knew, really - ground covered in thick knots and tangles of roots, the same humid air, flowers and fruit hanging from leaf-laden branches. To the three city-born teens, the discontent around their wild-born companions was a surprise.

"I don't like it either." Azure remarked, looking around the rainforest warily. He was more at ease than Bruno, but he still didn't find it pleasant. Maybe he'd like it if he wasn't stuck on the forest floor, where every green root resembled a snake - they were one of his worst fears. "And_ those_ aren't comforting." He scowled up through the tree canopy, where Howler monkeys were shrieking, making their presence known to the Peruvian jungle. It was eerie - the sanctuary back home was populated sparsely with Howlers, as the macaw territories were more prone to mischievous capuchins. The occasional Howler monkey call could be heard, but that was about it. Now, the calls were everywhere. Sometimes, just when they thought it went silent, the quiet was broken by an ear-splitting shriek of a Howler, making them all jump.

But then, not everything was bad. Just a few hours ago, they had stumbled across a female tapir, with a litter of four babies. The little tapirs were small, covered in brown hair, which was decorated with white spots and stripes. It had been a lovely thing, seeing the mother tending to her young. It was also very beautiful here, that was for certain - this place was practically untouched by humans, except for the occasional shoe print in the mud. But these weren't heavy boots of tourists or loggers - they looked a little odd, like sandals. Bia thought that they were the shoes of indigenous Peruvians, living in the jungle. She had read about quite a few indigenous human tribes, and it fascinated her - she was hoping to catch a glimpse of some indigenous humans at some point, since she didn't see many back home.

Flashes of colour in the trees indicated the presence of animals - an occasional flick of a dappled, golden and black tail signifying a jaguar. When they saw this, most of them felt a shiver of fear, but jaguars didn't often attack macaws - they usually opted for mammals and ground birds. They didn't have to worry about jaguars, probably, but it was Tiago's job to focus on watching out for animals like snakes, poisonous amphibians, and anything else that would pose a threat to any of them. They swapped the role of look-out every half an hour or so, going in alphabetical order to make it fair. While Tiago stood at a slightly elevated spot above the rest, a few feet higher, the others looked around for any sign of the flower. They had been looking for several hours now, with no luck. Bia had lost track of how far they had ventured through the forest, but every few minutes, she flew up through the tree canopy, scanning the forest from above, to make sure that they didn't lose the train tracks. Reminded of that thought, she turned to the others.

"I'm gonna make another check." She said, before flapping her wings, flying directly upwards, leaving the others on the forest floor. As she rose from the treetops, bright light poured into her eyes, and she had to look away, blinking rapidly to stop the sunlight dazing her. Squinting up at the orb of fire in the sky, Bia turned away, so that she could look at the rainforest. A glint of blue in the distance indicated water, which she assumed was the Amazon river, or one of the smaller ones that branched off from it.

On the very edge of the horizon, there was a grey smudge, which she believed were the beginnings of mountains. She blinked, thinking. _Mountains are more isolated, higher up. It's likely that it could've landed there. _Bia reached into the sack, pulling out the atlas pages and frowning at the words sprawled across the grey areas. _Is that Spanish or Portuguese? My mind's so blank, today… _giving up, Bia refocused on the mountains. They were so far away, and it would take a fair few days' flight to get there. That would be reduced by the train, but the line appeared to be going in another direction. They'd have to fly. She didn't know how big those mountains were - but the mountains on the atlas pages stretched quite far. Journeying into mountains was a risky thing. Few trees meant inefficient shelter and food, little protection from danger…

"Bia!" shouted a voice, from below, making Bia's heart jolt. She looked down, to see Orchid, flying up to her like there was no tomorrow. At first, Bia felt a rush of hope, but this was swept away as she saw the look on Orchid's face. Azure's younger sister looked agitated, and frightened. Clearly, the flower hadn't been found. But Orchid looked sick with worry, and it made Bia feel nervous. "I've got a slight problem, and you've gotta get down here, now." Frowning, and stuffing the atlas pages back into the sack, Bia folded her wings, plunging down into the tree canopy. As she broke through, Bia resumed to normal flight, gliding down to the forest floor. Bia looked around, puzzled - where were the others? She was positive this was where they were last - whenever she went up to check things, they always stayed in same spot. She heard scuffling of leaves behind her, and turned to Orchid, who was biting her beak. Orchid looked fearful and anxious, her feathers frazzled. A speculation entered her mind - one she dreaded. Bia stared at the younger macaw, praying that her suspicions weren't true.

"Tell me you haven't lost them." She said, slowly.

"I may have lost them." Orchid admitted, and Bia stared at her in horror. "I'm sorry." She was looking at her talons in shame. "Look, a jaguar came too close for comfort, and we all had to fly pretty fast - I panicked and went in the complete opposite direction. They seemed to have stuck together, though." A rush of fear went through Bia, and she looked around, warily. She was tempted to yell at Orchid, but she held it back. They had to remain calm if they were to find their friends.

"Well, that's good." Bia said, hoping to stay positive. "We're not all split up. Which direction did they go in?"

"I don't know… everything looks the same, I can't tell." Orchid confessed, in a small voice. Orchid's voice was brittle, and she looked as though she were about to cry. Bia listened, hoping to hear the voices of her friends, but any sound was drowned out by the Howler monkeys. Bia put a wing on her friend's shoulder, trying to stay calm.

"Okay." She said, breathing deeply. "We just need to remain calm, and start looking for them… and hope we find them before nightfall." But she doubted the last words. In just minutes, the sky had darkened, and the sun was sinking lower into the sky. Already, the sounds of the rainforest animals had become lower, making it eerily quiet. "Azure?" Bia called, unsure what to do. Calling loudly would draw attention to them, and nocturnal animals were generally the most dangerous. She called as loud as she dared. "Carla, Tiago, Bruno?" no response. The jungle was quiet. Orchid's eyes were flickering around warily, as if she expected a snake to come shooting out from the bushes, and her behaviour was making Bia nervous too. Every snapping twig made them jump, and every distant animal call sent shivers down their spines.

"Bia." Orchid said, as the surroundings grew dim. "Can we please get into a tree? I feel very unsafe." An animal call that was unfamiliar to Bia rang out, and they both stiffened.

"Yeah." Bia replied, grateful that Orchid had said this. The pair quickly flew up into a tree, and began searching the branches, looked for somewhere concealed. Eventually, they came across a spot in the tree where several branches joined to the tree trunk. They hid themselves there, pulling down several slimmer, leaf-laden branches to hide themselves from view of potential dangers. By now, the moon was rising, and the sky was almost black. The sound of night animals echoed through the jungle, making their hearts beat faster. Hoping to put her mind off it, Bia looked at Orchid, whose head was drooping from fatigue. They weren't going to get anywhere, staying here and exhausted. They had to rest. "Why don't you sleep for an hour, while I take watch?" she suggested. "We'll take turns every hour - one sleeps while the other keeps an eye out for the others or predators." Orchid hesitated briefly, before nodding gratefully.

"…okay. Thank you." Orchid nodded, before settling herself on her side, a few leaves tucked under her head. Bia crossed her wings, suddenly regretting taking first watch. Her eyelids felt heavy, and sleep was trying to take over her. Stubbornly, she only stretched her eyes wider, to try to fight it off, but she still felt the temptation to shut her eyes for a couple of minutes. She felt worry churning within her stomach; she hoped that Azure, Carla, Tiago and Bruno were alright, and most importantly, together. Orchid was such a pain, sometimes - she was ditzy and had little independence. At least Orchid hadn't flown off alone - she would've been practically doomed, in a strange country. Bia stared at the sky - it was like black velvet, only covered with a million pinpricks of stars. Bia's eyes began closing, and she couldn't resist the wave of sleep, shutting her eyes.

_Meanwhile_

It was late evening in Brazil, and the sky was beginning to darken. Isaac's cheek wound was healing fairly well - already, the scratch was almost sealed, and it shouldn't be too long until the feathers grew back over it. But he was bored. The absence of his rambunctious younger sister and his only brother was a severe blow to his life. Of course he had Bromeliad, but she was currently busy with their mother. Obviously he had other friends beside his siblings and Blu and Jewel's absent brood, but most of them were with their parents, being watched. The majority of parents in the ravine had been so concerned over the recent events that they had forbid their children from leaving their sights, and that was understandable, given what had happened to poor Catia, and the still-hospitalized Tobias. Eduardo had increased patrols from a maximum of seven to a maximum of twelve, and they were rather regular, meaning that every patrol that went out had back up not far behind.

Many macaws had challenged Eduardo, urging him to go to Kerja and demand that she keep her tribe inside their borders, but this was out of the question. Marching into the heart of the Hyacinth territory, with Hyacinths hiding around every corner? Not a smart idea. The current plan was to 'wait and see', as Mimi put it, but what happened next? They were defenceless alone, and their allies weren't the best. The Blue-and-Golds weren't the best or most determined of fighters, and as for their Scarlet and Green-Winged neighbours, they had not been seen for days. Isaac's parents were worried, of course - Roberto and Sophia had spent the last few days speculating on their absence. Sophia had been desperate to go there, to ensure that they were alright, but Roberto had immediately objected. As close a friend Felipe and Azalea were, he wouldn't sacrifice Sophia's safety to go and check on their territory. Sophia had been frustrated and angered by this - Isaac's mother was strong-willed and stubborn. She was desperate to make sure that her friends were alright, and it took a lot to make her change her mind. Just as this thought entered his head, there was a flash of unfamiliar colour at the ravine entrance. Isaac frowned, looking up from where he was preening his wing feathers.

Felipe was flying into the ravine, his feathers tattered and patchy from where some had fallen - or been torn - out. Not far behind was Azalea; the white skin around her left eye was almost black, heavily bruised. Like Felipe, she looked exhausted, and there were two chicks on her back - presumably her and Felipe's daughters. Isaac had a vague recollection of his parents telling him and his siblings that they were called Leti and Adele. Immediate voices rose from the trees around Isaac, as Spix's macaws came rushing from their hollows. When the last time a Scarlet macaw had come into the ravine? Felipe would never come here, surely. Why should he? He had no reason. But as he looked at the state of the Red tribe's leader, Isaac began to suspect that he had a perfectly valid one. Felipe's vivid green eyes were hollow with bereavement, hunger, and anxiety, a look Isaac had never seen on him. Half-healed wounds were clearly visible in his feathers, and he looked as though he found flight painful. "Dad, Mom!" Isaac called over his shoulder. "You have to see this." But there was a whistle of air above his head, and he looked up to see his father, flying swiftly toward Felipe, Azalea, and the two chicks. Roberto had already seen them, and was flying quickly to greet his friends.

"Felipe, Azalea!" Roberto exclaimed, sounding both relieved and worried at the same time. He stopped, hovering before the exhausted family. "Look at you! What happened?" The murmurings Felipe's arrival had created had clearly alerted Eduardo, for he had emerged from Blu and Jewel's eerily quiet tree. That tree was usually producing some sort of noise - the voices of the lively Bia, Carla, and Tiago, Blu's squawks of panic as he saw a spider or mosquito, or Jewel as she laughed at her mate's reaction to seeing an insect. Now it was always quiet, with Isaac's friends gone, Jewel being too sick and Blu usually being alone in his thoughts, imagining the worst-case scenario. The only sound really was Johanna's voice, as she soothed Jewel.

As Felipe's eyes landed on Eduardo, they filled with desperation and pleading. "I need a huge favour." He said, looking back at his mate and daughters. "We need a place to stay. But… not just my family. My whole tribe is waiting outside your ravine." Immediate discussion - mostly protests - broke out among the Spix's macaws, and when Eduardo looked perplexed, Felipe raised his voice. "As of a few days ago, I've lost my entire home to Kerja and her Hyacinths." Horrified gasps broke out, followed by a stunned silence. Isaac's blue-green eyes widened in shock; was this real_, _or was he dreaming? _The Red tribe is powerful and stubborn… did they really get driven out?_ "There were so many. We had no idea they were planning it, and about a dozen of my macaws are dead because of it." Felipe looked around the ravine, still seeing the reluctance and uncertainty on everyone's faces. Could they afford providing a refuge to so many other macaws? "I know we're allies, but I also know we've been pretty rotten to you all in the past. Of course I'd understand if you refused, but… we're desperate. We've got chicks and unhatched eggs with us. We have nowhere else to go." Isaac looked at Felipe's family. The chick with green eyes, Leti, looked delirious. Isaac then felt a pang of pity when he noticed a small cut on the chick's shoulder. _She's just a kid! _He thought, horrified. How could Hyacinths attack kids? There was a tense moment as everyone looked at Eduardo, wondering if he would accept or send them away. But Eduardo was nodding.

"We have many spare trees." Eduardo said. Some of Isaac's tribe mates muttered - some of them were clearly not pleased at the idea of sharing their home with a hundred-and-something Red macaws - but most of them breathed sighs of relief. "About half of the trees in this ravine are unoccupied - there'll be plenty of room for you all." Eduardo looked around, before waving to around thirty macaws, gathered in a few trees. "Go out and help the Red tribe in - help the injured and the chicks." Immediately, the group of Spix's were flying outside, with Felipe following. His eyes landed on Mimi. "Tell Johanna that there are injuries - you stay with Blu and Jewel." Mimi nodded back, before disappearing into her niece's home.

"You can stay in our hollow, if you want." Roberto said, to Felipe and Azalea. "There's more than enough room for you." Felipe nodded in acceptance, before following the Spix's macaws to fetch his tribe. Meanwhile, Azalea gave Roberto a grateful look, before flying toward the tree. Isaac extended his wing toward the entrance, and Azalea disappeared inside. After a few moments, Isaac could hear Leti and Adele beginning to cry, and Azalea trying to soothe them.

"Mommy? Can't we go home?"

"No, Leti. I'm sorry, we'll have to stay here for a bit. Don't you like your aunt Sophia and uncle Roberto?"

"Of course we do, mom… but we want to go home."

"I know, Adele. I know." Isaac looked into the hollow, where Leti and Adele were enveloped in their mother's wings. The two chicks were so little - they looked as though they couldn't fly yet, as there were still baby down feathers fringing their wings. _They must be devastated, being forced out of place they were born, staying somewhere they don't know. _Roberto landed beside Isaac, blue eyes filled with worry. "I had a feeling something like this would happen, sooner or later." He sighed heavily, running his wing-tips through his crest feathers. "This isn't good at all. Kerja is a monster, attacking the elderly and the little ones." But then Roberto became still. He was frowning.

"Dad?" Isaac asked, confused at this new look. "Are you okay?" Roberto looked down at Isaac, still frowning.

"Isaac." he said. "Where are your mother and sister?"


	24. Dangerous moves

"Mom, are you sure about this? Are you sure we shouldn't just wait for a patrol to fly past?" Bromeliad's stomach was churning, and her heart was beating quickly as she stood on a branch, adjacent to her mother. The liquid gold of the sunset had transformed, to black night sky, the moon a white sliver. Half of the sky was now covered in grey, ominous clouds that promised heavy rain, and there was a weird feeling in the air - it was incredibly humid, and Bromeliad was sure she heard the occasional rumble of thunder. A storm was obviously coming, but Sophia didn't care about the weather.

"Li, they haven't been seen for days, and I'm getting worried." Sophia was restless; her eyes were flickering around the border, but filled with determination. "I just want to make sure they're okay. You stay here, and I'll be right back."

"But _mom-"_ Bromeliad began to protest, but Sophia put her wings on her daughter's shoulders, turning her to face her.

"I'll be fine. Just wait here, okay, honey?" Sophia smoothed Bromeliad's ruffled head feathers, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Bromeliad stared up at her mother. It was unlike her to nervous - Bromeliad was usually confident, but today, she was full of trepidation. This wasn't a good idea at all, but Sophia was stubborn - she never changed her mind. Once she wanted to do something, no-one could stop her. Sophia gave her a hug, before she then turned away, launching herself into flight. She called over her shoulder. "I won't be long - just go home."

"Be careful!" Bromeliad pleaded, but Sophia was out of earshot - the last glimpse Bromeliad had of her was her periwinkle-blue tail, vanishing into the trees of the neighbouring territory. At first, she considered going home, but she couldn't move. She couldn't leave Sophia here - for a couple of moments, she stood there, gnawing on her wing tips, torn on what to do - before she shook her head. "What the heck." She muttered, before plunging into the trees, following Sophia. "Mom!" she called. "Mom, wait for me!" it took her a few moments to catch up, but eventually, her calls reached Sophia's ears, for she melted in view.

"Are you sure?" she asked, in a serious voice.

"Yes." Bromeliad nodded eagerly, and, after a few moments, Sophia nodded in return, fluffing up her feathers.

"Okay. Stay close to me." Sophia then continued flying, Bromeliad close behind. As they flew, the mother and daughter realized that the jungle here was eerily quiet. It was usually alive with animal and Scarlet and Green-Winged macaw calls, with flashes of the tribes' feathers seen in the trees. But now it was like a ghost territory - empty. Most of the other animals who lived here were now no-where to be seen - but Bromeliad often saw the weak moonlight catching the scales of a snake, or turning a jaguar's pelt to silver. No capybaras, tapirs, or many birds. It was as though the predatory animals were the only creatures that remained, or that were in sight. Had something happened, or was this just a coincidence? By now, every trace of sunset was now gone - the entire sky was dark, cloud-covered, and Bromeliad often felt a drop of rain. Her feathers had risen on the back of her neck - she had a weird feeling, and suddenly, she regretted following Sophia. They should go home, come back in the morning.

"Mom, maybe we should head back." Bromeliad suggested. "It looks like it's about to pour, and it's dark - Mom?" she paused, realizing that Sophia had gone. Briefly, she felt a rush of panic, but then she spotted Sophia standing on the floor, staring at something in the ferns. At first, she was relieved, but then confused when she saw how stiff Sophia looked - it alarmed her. "What is it?" she asked, blinking, landing beside her. What had her mother seen? She then sniffed the air. What was that? It made her feathers rise on end - it was like rotting flesh. _Wait a minute… _

Half-hidden, there was a red lump in the ferns. At first, she was puzzled, but then a more powerful reek of decay hit Bromeliad's throat, and she stumbled back, covering her beak. Bromeliad swallowed the bile that had risen, daring herself to look back - red feathers, and a green wing. A Green-Winged macaw, obviously a few days dead. The corpse was beginning to decay - a wound over her left lung, festering and black, many claw marks criss-crossing her body. The body's eyes were blue, glassy, and blank, and as she looked at those eyes, she felt as though she had been plunged into icy water. Bromeliad recognised that face - she recalled an outing with her parents, as a young chick. Her parents had waved to this macaw, where she had been accompanied by a male, various plants in her talons.

"It's their female healer." Sophia whispered, swaying slightly, as if she were about to faint. "Maite."

"Is she… dead?" Bromeliad asked, but immediately she knew that it was a stupid question. Of course Maite was dead - you didn't start rotting until you were dead. Bromeliad then paused, forgetting the horror, for she had noticed a metal glint beside some mushrooms. She glanced at Sophia, seeing if she had noticed, but her eyes were still fixed on Maite. Bromeliad walked up to the peculiar object, pulling at the object, until she was holding it up. This was a strange thing; two circles made of wood, with metal sticks coming out. The two parts were attached, so when it was opened, it made an 'X' shape, the metal parts glistening, incredibly sharp. Bromeliad could see a blurry outline of herself reflected in the metal, which was beginning to rust as the edges. Behind Bromeliad, Sophia gasped, seeing the object. She recoiled, taking a step back.

"Drop them." She demanded, and Bromeliad turned, blinking in confusion. Sophia stared at the object. "It's the kind of object what killed Catia, according to your father." At this, Bromeliad suddenly wished she hadn't touched the thing. She dropped them in shock, taking a step back. The wooden parts, the ends where the blades came out, was stained a brownish-red - Bromeliad's talons started shaking, and suddenly, she wanted to wash her talons, to get rid of the trace of the object. For a few moments, they stood in silence, before Sophia looked back at Maite, regret and fear in her eyes. "Forget the Red tribe. We've got to go."

"Oh, I think that's quite impossible." Said a mocking voice from behind them, making their blood run cold. "Leaving so soon?" Bromeliad and Sophia were frozen, stiff, staring at each other. Sophia then lunged forward, seizing the human object in her talons, before whirling round, holding them up. Bromeliad was desperate to turn and fly for her life, but she couldn't abandon Sophia.

"Come near us, and I'll skewer you." Sophia hissed, her wings stretched out to shield Bromeliad. A male Hyacinth stood beside Maite's body, his talons set on the dead macaw's head. Streaks of dark grey from old age were strewn through his navy feathers, and his eyes were like amber ice, and filled with mocking. Bromeliad didn't recognise him, but she was terrified. This macaw probably weighed more than herself and Sophia combined, since Bromeliad had inherited Sophia's slender, lithe form. This Hyacinth was far from light, and he wasn't alone - two Hyacinths flanked him. A young male, and an almost unbelievably small female. Bromeliad frowned, looking her up and down. She was probably a third of the size of a normal Hyacinth - actually not far off from Spix's macaw height. A memory about the mention of a small Hyacinth pooled in the back of Bromeliad's mind, but she struggled to remember anymore. This one looked… what? Aghast? Torn? "Did you kill Maite?" Sophia demanded, jolting Bromeliad from her thoughts. Despite the situation, Bromeliad couldn't help but be impressed by how well her mother concealed her fear - was she even afraid?

"Oh, a few days ago." Said the large male, almost casually, sickening Bromeliad. He took pleasure in killing someone? And he didn't seem to notice the decaying body he was standing on. Bromeliad saw the spark of outrage in Sophia's eyes.

"A healer!" she almost shouted, shaking with anger. "Do you realize how low that is? Maite did nothing wrong!" The two males started laughing, but the small female didn't say a word or make a sound. In fact, she looked as though she would do anything to get away from the scene. Sophia turned to Bromeliad. "Come on. We're leaving."

"Oh, I don't think so." Said the older male. Then he looked up. "Seize them." He said, simply. Bromeliad didn't have time to look up - she was suddenly crushed to the ground, large talons wrapping around her. Then she heard her mother screaming.

"No! Don't touch her!" Bromeliad heard Sophia's shriek. From her position, she only saw Sophia's talons, clutching the human object, leaping off the ground. She was aiming for whoever had pinned Bromeliad down - then there was a spurt of blood, and the screech of a Hyacinth macaw - the talons around her loosened, giving her the opportunity to scrabble away. "Fly, Bromeliad!" Sophia screeched, but then she was abruptly cut off_. _Bromeliad didn't see what happened, but as she turned around, she saw Sophia dropping to the ground, motionless. She was breathing, but blood was turning the back of her neck red. There was a wound on the back of her head, and the human object was still clutched in her talons, the blades crimson - the Hyacinth who had been holding Bromeliad was now clutching the side of his neck, eyes glittering with malice. But Bromeliad's eyes were only for her mother. Behind Sophia, the young male macaw had a stone in one talon, and he was breathing heavily. "Stupid Spix's." He snarled. Horror whelmed up, and she leapt to her feet, desperate to see if her mother was alright.

"Mom!" Bromeliad dived forward, to get to Sophia's side - but then there was a blow to the back of her head. Pain shot through her skull, and immediately, her vision lit up with stars, and her knees buckled. Bromeliad tried to fight it, but an unknown force had made her unable to think, control her body. She swayed slightly, eyes rolling, before she crashed, face-down, into the dirt. Her world was spinning, all the colours smearing into a blurry mess. _Get up! Get up! _The Hyacinths had hit Sophia on a part of the head that had simply knocked her out, not killed her. The reason why Bromeliad was still conscious was probably because the hit hadn't been well-calculated - they hadn't expected her to break free of the grip of the Hyacinth. She could barely hear the Hyacinths' voices.

"She missed my throat - it's just bleeding. Kerja only wants one. Take the mother."

"What about the kid? What if she tells Eduardo what she saw?"

"Leave her. Some snake'll come along sooner or later."

"Don't risk it. I'll take care of this - you lot go on without me." then the jungle became silent, but Bromeliad knew two things - one, her mother was gone, and two, that the last speaker was here - here to 'take care of this' - in other words, here to finish her off. Kill her, to keep her quiet. Knowing what would happen if she didn't get up, Bromeliad attempted to force herself to move - but her muscles refused to obey her. Panic surged through her, and every subtle movement sent agony rushing through her skull. Any moment now, she'd feel more pain - and this time, there was no recovery. But what the speaker said next made her freeze.

"Don't move - you'll make the injury worse." A pair of wings rested on her, keeping her still, and Bromeliad stiffened, refusing to open her eyes and look. Something was being held to the back of her head, where she had been hit - water, and something soft. It felt like moss, and she realized something. The basic rule of stopping bleeding in the tribes was to cover a wound with moss, as it was a good absorber and helped block any more blood loss. Confusion swarmed through her mind. Stopping bleeding? _Is this Hyacinth helping me? _Bromeliad finally felt the control of her body seeping back, and she began thinking normally. She slowly pried open her eyes, squinting up at the figure. Though her vision was blurry, she could tell that it was the small Hyacinth - the one who had looked as though she didn't want to be there. With a jolt, Bromeliad remembered why the thought of a small Hyacinth seemed familiar. Eduardo and Mimi had told the tribe - that small Hyacinth, the one who had saved Blu's life.

"Mina?" she mumbled.

_Meanwhile_

"This is your entire fault!" Carla declared, accusingly. She was glaring at Tiago, who shrunk back from his sister, his head feathers sticking out even more wildly than usual to show his anxiety. Carla's green eyes were ablaze with anger and fear. "If you had spotted the jaguar coming, instead of admiring some spider, we never would've split up! We never would've lost Bia, or sent Orchid running in another direction!"

"_My_ fault? I took my eyes off the surroundings for_ one_ second!" Tiago argued, wings spreading out threateningly, anxiety gone as it was replaced by anger. "Don't pin the blame on me! You saw Orchid going in another direction, but did you chase after her? No!"

"Maybe that's because some jaguar was trying to tear me to pieces!" Carla retorted. Bruno and Azure listened to the siblings arguing, trying to stay calm, but their arguing wasn't making anything better. Azure was out of his mind with worry - his sister and his girlfriend were missing - but at least he wasn't panicking, like Carla was. He understood that she was worried sick, but there was no need to start arguing about whose fault it was.

"Carla, no offence, but can you just be quiet? And stop blaming Tiago?" Bruno asked, looking up. This statement earned him a glare from Carla, but he looked back steadily, hoping that he wasn't about to argue with her. "I know you're worried, but Bia and Orchid are smart. Hopefully they've stuck together, and won't be running in all directions. If I know them, they'll sit and wait. We've just got to find the place we got separated…"

"The problem is, Bruno, that everything looks the _same!" _Carla exclaimed, throwing her wings up into the air in exasperation. "Anything could've happened -"

"Don't remind us." Azure groaned, holding his forehead, feeling a wave of new panic. He fought it down. "Alright, we've just got to retrace out flight - yes, everything looks the same, but I'm sure we can get somewhere."

"We can't go out now," Bruno pointed out, indicating toward the sky - the sky was almost black, the moon almost new, but not entirely gone - a thin slither of white. From the east, dark cloud was creeping across the sky, hinting at rain. "Firstly, it's pitch black, and two, it's dangerous at night."

"He's right." Tiago said, although he looked reluctant. Just like Azure's case - a girlfriend and a sister, lost in the Peruvian jungle. "I don't want to leave Bia and Orchid, but we can't go out now. They'll be hiding themselves anyway, so they'll be hard to find. We'll leave as soon as the sky grows light. Let's take sleeping shifts." It took a few minutes to convince Carla that nothing would happen to the missing Bia and Orchid - but eventually, the stubborn teenager agreed, plonking herself down beside Bruno, but she wore a clear scowl in her sleep. Even though Tiago could've slept, he stayed awake, staring out into the trees with a worried expression. Azure had volunteered to take the first shift, keeping watch. He stood there, fighting the desire to fly into the jungle, to search for Bia and Orchid. He glanced down at his scar, running a wingtip over it. He couldn't lose them, not after everything. His sister, and the girl he loved… unimaginable. Refusing to imagine what could happen to them, Azure, seeing that Tiago wasn't sleeping anytime soon, tried to catch some sleep.

Meanwhile, a couple of trees away, two pairs of yellow eyes were set on the blue macaws, their owners cloaked by shadow. A series of odd sounds were exchanged between them, but then one owner of the eyes shook its head, making more odd sounds to its partner. The other one clicked its hooked beak in reply. On his branch, Azure felt his spine prickle. He opened his eyes, looking around, wondering what was the matter with him. Surely he was just afraid of what could happen to Bia and Orchid? No.

Azure felt as though they were being watched.


	25. Grey feathers

Sophia's eyes slid open, and the moment they did, she felt a surge of terror. The last thing she remembered was slashing at a Hyacinth's neck with the human object - and then everything had blacked out. Sophia slowly sat up, from where she had been lying on her side. She groaned, touching her head. _My head…_ she frowned, feeling her neck, and the back of her head, where the source of the pain was. They felt damp. As she pulled her wing away to examine it, it came away streaked with red. The reality of where she was hit her - on a cold stone floor, surrounded by stone walls. Outside, she could hear the faint echo was rushing water, and the murmur of bird squawks. She knew exactly where she was. _Have to get out of here. Have to get out. _Sophia sprang to her feet, rushing for the hole in the wall - it lead to a dark stone corridor, by looks of it. What she would do next, she hadn't a clue, but she had to get out. Sophia had run about foot before something snagged on her ankle. With the momentum, she couldn't stop herself - she smacked face-first into the stone floor. Briefly stunned by the fall, it took a few moments for Sophia to realize that there was something tied to her ankle, restricting her movement. Rolling over, Sophia lifted her foot, only to see a glaringly bright, orange tether tied around her leg. It was just over two foot long, and it ran to the wall, where it was tied down with a complicated mass of knots. She blinked; how many knots was that? Whoever had tied it had made sure she couldn't break free, and when she tried to bite through the tether, it barely had an effect.

"What… is this?" she stammered to herself, but then, from the shadows, she heard a sound that made her blood run cold. Cruel, mocking laughter, from not just one, but a few - the coldest laugh she knew by heart. _Kerja._ Despite her fear, Sophia only had one thought - she didn't care about her safety, she cared about Bromeliad. She hadn't seen whether Bromeliad had fled or not."My daughter." Sophia said, slowly. "What have you done to my daughter?"

"You don't need to know that." replied a voice - without doubt, it was Kerja who spoke. Terrified of the voice, Sophia leapt to her feet, pressing herself against the wall - but she only heard footsteps, growing louder as they came closer to her. "Now, Sophia. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You have option A and option B. Option A is tell us what we want to know without a fuss. And Option B -" Kerja paused dramatically. "Well, let's just say you'll regret picking that option. So, what'll it be? A, or B?" Sophia had to say something. But there was no way she was picking either option.

"Stay away from me…" Sophia hissed, as Kerja's face loomed in her vision. Kerja looked into the shadows, where her companions were - they were muttering things Sophia couldn't hear. Then Kerja turned back to her.

"Option B it is." She snarled.

_Meanwhile_

As dawn approached, it became clear that the heavy rain had no intent of stopping. Halfway through the night, the dark grey clouds had finally started shedding raindrops, but three to four hours later, it was still going strong, the dark shade of the cloud almost unchanged. The growling of thunder occurred rather frequently, and lightning had illuminated the sky more than twice. Bia and Orchid were sheltered under a tree stump, staring out in dismay. "Of all the days." Orchid grumbled. "Of all the days to start crying, the sky chose today." Bia looked sideways at Orchid.

"What a weird phrase." Bia commented, out of the blue. A smile crept to Orchid's beak at Bia's comment.

"Mom says it whenever it rains… her grandmother used to say it. Anyway, what are we going to do? Flying's hard in rain…" that was true. While feathers were usually oily and repelled water, flying through rain wasn't exactly a piece of mango - and it was certainly unpleasant. Should they stay sheltered, use this precious daylight to look for their missing friends? It took Bia some thinking.

"The longer we wait, the further apart we'll probably get." Bia sighed. "Okay, let's put ourselves in their shoes -"

"Shoes?" Orchid gave her a funny look. "We don't wear shoes - we're birds. Besides, if we did, we don't have their shoes on us -"

"It's just an expression, Orchid." Bia giggled, before she let out a burst of full-on laughter, despite the situation they were in. That was one of the reasons why she liked Orchid - she was so funny without intending it. It made her so likeable, with her clumsy and mischievous personality. Orchid looked briefly puzzled, before the white skin around her beak and eyes flushed pink with embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry, I'm no good with metaphors." Orchid gave her a helpless shrug, looking a bit embarrassed and annoyed at the same time as Bia continued to laugh. "Anyway - you were saying?" Once Bia had stopped laughing, she turned back to Orchid, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

"Alright. Let's put ourselves in their shoes for a moment - not _literally_ \- what do you think they're doing in this situation?"

"Freaking out?" Orchid suggested.

"Other than that?" Bia prompted.

"I'd say they're out looking for us, despite the rain." Orchid shrugged again. She looked at Bia for several moments, before she sighed_. "Joy._ We're going into the rain, aren't we?"

"You got it." Bia nodded, feeling amused at the look of dismay on Orchid's face. "Look, it's getting lighter for the moment - let's use this to look for them."

"But it's raining!" Orchid complained, pointing outside. "What if we do find them, and Tiago sees my ruined head feather style?" Orchid pointed at her head and cheek feathers, which were half-flattened from how she had slept. "Looking like _this?_ How humiliating!"

"Trust me, Orchid, he won't care. He'll just be happy to see you safe and well, you know." Bia assured her, picking up the sack filled with their supplies, putting it over her shoulder and under her opposite wing, so she didn't have to hold it. "Let's just get this over with, and besides, don't you want to see them again?" She reached into the bag, extracting her sketchbook, opening it to Orchid, showing her the drawings of Azure, Carla, Bruno and Tiago. She saw the longing look in Orchid's eyes as she looked at the drawings of their companions - she knew it made sense. Her gaze lingered on Tiago and Azure, before she finally nodded. With that, Bia slid her book back into the bag, and they headed off into the drizzle.

_Later_

"This is hopeless!" Carla complained loudly, from where she was scanning the forest floor from a branch. Their plan was to go from tree-to-tree, calling and searching at the same time, but their efforts had no success. "Five hours, and _nothing."_ Giving up, she sat down heavily, crossing her wings in frustration. This was so frustrating, and they were getting no closer to finding her sister and friend. They'd been searching for several hours, but they hadn't seen as much as a flash of blue feathers. It was still raining, to make things more depressing, but at least it wasn't as heavy as it had been at dawn. The clouds were still dark, however, guaranteeing more rain. She and Bruno were looking from this tree, while Azure and Tiago were scanning from an adjacent one.

"Don't be so negative!" Bruno insisted, dropping down onto her branch. He had been trying to convince Carla that they'd get somewhere eventually, but she never changed her mind. When Carla's expression didn't change at what he said, he gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll find them, just you wait and see."

"But I'm so worried…" Carla hung her head, eyes dull. Bruno sighed, before he leaned forward, giving her a small kiss on the temple.

"Just keep going." He encouraged, before flying back up to his branch. Carla blinked, her temple feeling warmed from Bruno's gesture. Suddenly, she felt less hopeless. Feeling a fresh wave of positivity, Carla fluffed up her feathers, fixing her eyes on the forest floor to look harder. In the next tree, Azure and Tiago were calling Bia and Orchid's names, while scaling the tree. However, Tiago kept giving Azure quizzical looks.

"Hey man, you feeling okay?" he asked. Azure had seemed a bit nervous since they had woken - he kept looking around, looking anxious, while jumping at every twig that snapped, and every animal call that rang out. His feathers seemed more fluffed up than usual, and he was rather fidgety.

"Me?" Azure jumped, surprised at Tiago's voice.

"Yeah, you. You seem a bit nervous today." Tiago tipped his head to the side. "Worrying about Bia and Orchid?" he guessed.

"Partially…" Azure replied. He kept looking around. Should he share his concerns? "Um… do you feel as if… you're being - I don't know -" Azure looked at Tiago. _"Followed? _Or watched?_" _Tiago looked puzzled, a frown crossing his features.

"Uh… not really? What do you mean, watched?" before Azure could reply, however, Tiago's eyes flickered upwards. "Hold up. I think I just saw something move…" eyes fixed on whatever was above them, Tiago quickly vanished into the branches above. Azure shook his head, before following him. When Azure eventually caught up to the older teenager, he found him in the higher branches, around the tree trunk, facing a wall - a wall of woven twigs and sticks. Immediately, Azure was very confused -and uneasy.

"What on earth is this?" Azure asked, looking at Tiago for help, who was frowning. The wall was constructed from small twigs and sticks, with leaves and feathers - grey feathers. Whatever it was, Azure didn't like it at all. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't pin it down. Finally, he had an idea. _A huge nest._ Nest? Azure's head snapped up, as a few twigs came raining down on his head. Tiago's talons were sinking into the wall, and he was climbing upwards. Within moments, Tiago had clambered over the edge, and out of sight. "Tiago, get back here!" he called, before hooking his claws into the twig wall, picking his way upwards, until he reached the top. Tiago was standing in the middle, looking around in curiosity. The construction inside was a dip, with the walls looming on the edges. More grey feathers littered the twig ground, but Azure couldn't recall any flight-able bird with grey feathers. He had a vague memory of Roberto telling him and Isaac about the birds of the rainforest, but he couldn't remember much from that lesson. It had been so long ago, when he and Isaac were very young. On the right side, there were fragments of thin, white shards and pieces - they reminded Azure of Orchid's eggshell, when she had hatched. _Eggshell. _They were in a nest. Of course! Why hadn't he figured it before? Tiago then paused, picking something up, before turning around to Azure.

"What's this?" he asked, holding it up. It was white, and a rough oval shape, with multiple holes and hollows - around the size of a rat's head. Multiple cracks showed that it was a bit old, and it was brutally crushed, as though something had bitten down on it hard. As Azure looked at it, he noticed two holes in the front - and tiny pieces of shard-like material sticking out of a hole near the bottom of it. They resembled eye sockets, and teeth… Azure stiffened, thinking of how he had associated the size of it with a rat's head. Tiago then frowned at the object in his talons, faint recognition lighting in his eyes. Then he dropped the object, with a sickened expression. _A rat's skull. _As Azure looked around Tiago, he noticed an array of other white objects - more like white sticks. Some smaller, and others much, much larger. Tiago was surrounded by bones, and it looked as though he had realized it, because he now looked afraid to touch anything around him.

"We should go - " Azure began, but then he felt something land behind him - something with large wings. Tiago's head snapped up, and then he froze.

"Azure." He said, quietly. "Make… no sudden movements." Azure stared back at Tiago, before he heard it - ragged breath behind him, coming from large, powerful lungs. His blood turned to icy water, and suddenly, he was afraid to breathe, or make the smallest of movements. Azure then caught sight of Carla, in the next tree. As she looked at Azure, seeing whatever was behind him, she let out a shrill, terrified shriek. Bruno shot out of some nearby leaves, obviously to see what she was screaming at - then he saw Azure. Bruno gasped, seeing whatever it was, before he slammed a wing over Carla's beak, to smother her scream. Too late. An ear-splitting screech erupted from behind him - not macaw, but something macaws feared. It was something Azure's parents had warned him about, and now he remembered the owners of the grey feathers. As he whirled around to look, claws sank into his back, yanking him away. At first, he panicked, but as he spun round, he found himself facing Tiago. Tiago's brown eyes were filled with terror, a look Azure had rarely seen on him. Then Azure was being shoved from the nest.

"Fly!" Tiago shrieked.


	26. Eagle cries

"You can't be serious!" Felipe protested, running after Roberto. "You're going out continuously! When was the last time you sat down?"

"My mate and daughter have been missing for almost a _day!" _Roberto retorted, whirling round with an angered expression. For the first time in over a year, the two males were glaring at each other with genuine hostility. They had been arguing for hours now. "Do you really expect me to sit down and wait patiently while Sophia and Bromeliad are missing, in a _Hyacinth-infested_ jungle?"

"But you'll exhaust yourself!" insisted a new voice; Blu was standing there in the entrance to Roberto's nest, his face creased in concern. It was one of those rare times that he wasn't at Jewel's side. She had reached a stable condition, so he had reluctantly dragged himself from her side to try and help out with the Hyacinth situation. Johanna had given Jewel some more of her 'atraso', and there was no fresh blood coming from her eyes or beak. She was okay - for now, at least. "Look at the state of you - have you looked in your reflection lately?" Roberto hadn't slept since Sophia and Bromeliad had been reported missing, and he was running around or flying constantly, refusing to rest until he found them, but it was taking its toll on him. Roberto's feathers were dusty and strewn with forest debris, and the areas beneath his eyes were stained grey, from exhaustion and stress. He kept staggering, or struggling to fly from how tired he was, and if he didn't rest at some point, Johanna was sure he would collapse.

"I don't care! They're doing_ nothing _to find them!"

"Nothing? Eduardo's sending out patrols every five seconds! It's not their fault they can't find them." Azalea said from the back of the nest, before her voice began to lower, for the sleeping Adele and Leti had shifted in their sleep. "Look, we want to find them as much as you do, but running yourself ragged isn't helping." Azalea had wanted to go out, to look for Sophia, who was perhaps her closest friend, but her daughters were having sleepless nights, since what happened a few days ago.

"Tell you what. Jewel's awake, so you keep her company while I'll help look." Blu offered.

"_No -" _Roberto began, but then there was a commotion outside. Macaws were gasping, whispering in fear, and from inside the nest, they saw that several Red macaws were diving into the trees, concealing themselves. Isaac then came skidding into the nest, with wide, blue-green eyes. He looked disturbed, and confused.

"There's a Hyacinth in the ravine!" he exclaimed, breathlessly. "It - it's standing on top of the ravine cliffs!" As he said this, Adele and Leti's heads whipped up.

"What?" wailed Leti, in a terrified voice.

"I won't let them here!" Adele exclaimed, bravely. "They don't scare me."

"Don't be silly, Adelaide!" Azalea scolded her youngest daughter, but there was no mistaking the fear in her voice. Felipe looked at them once, before he began stalking up to the exit, clearly headed for the Hyacinth in question, a look of thunder on his face. Felipe wanted blood, it was clear - around a dozen of his tribe members were dead, his female healer included, and his daughters had almost been thrown to their deaths. Blu tried to intercept, protesting - Felipe against a Hyacinth? No matter how angry he was, there was no way Felipe could go against a Hyacinth and get away unscathed. But then, outside, Eduardo's booming voice rang out, making them all jump. Looking outside, they all saw Eduardo, followed by Mimi, flying swiftly up to the cliffs.

"Nobody touches her!" Eduardo commanded, his pale green gaze raking over the trees. "Mina's on our side." All of the macaws in Roberto's nest looked at one another; Mina? The one who had saved Blu's life? _What's she doing here? Daring, _thought Blu. Outside, there was a great muttering - protests, hisses of anger. Of course nobody trusted a Hyacinth, regardless of how she had saved Blu - especially since Mina was the daughter of the tyrant leading their nightmare neighbours. Blu, Felipe, Roberto, Isaac and Azalea crowded in the entrance to Roberto's nest, all of them clearly wanting to get a look at Mina - she was flying this way, between Eduardo and Mimi, flinching every time there was a jeer or a hostile squawk from the trees. _Why are they coming over here? _Thought Blu, puzzled. Surely, if Mina was here to see Eduardo, wouldn't she be flying toward _his_ tree? Flying over to Roberto's was risky, since it was currently being shared by the angry and unforgiving leader of the Red macaws. Felipe was simmering in silence, the white skin of his face a violent red that wasn't unlike his feathers. It was clearly taking him a lot to resist the urge to throw himself into a fight, to make the Hyacinths pay for everything they had done. Azalea put her wing across his path, blocking him, just in case.

"_We should avenge Catia, and the red macaw tribe members who died!"_ shouted someone across the ravine plunge pool - and this was followed by many other shouts of agreement. Some were rather chilling, actually quite shocking. Blu had always thought that his fellow tribe members were kind and peaceful, but he was shocked to hear what comments they could come up with.

"_Break her wings and blind her! It's Kerja's daughter!"_

_"What are you waiting for? We should kill her now!" _

"_We should put her corpse at the border! Show Kerja that we're not weak!"_

Blu had never imagined what kinds of things they would think of - such terrible ideas. Had Kerja's actions caused them to become like this? So cruel with words? Eduardo and Mimi neared the tree, flanking Mina - probably to protect her, if a foolish macaw tried to attack on sight. Blu then realized that Mina was carrying something - something small and periwinkle-blue. Then he understood why Eduardo and Mimi were bring Mina here.

"Dad, look!" Isaac gasped, seizing his father's shoulder and pointing. "It's -"

_"Bromeliad!"_ Roberto spluttered, shoving past Felipe and Blu. Isaac ran after his father, tripping as he did, and they rushed outside to meet Eduardo, Mimi and Mina as they landed. Mina gently put Bromeliad down, stepping back as Roberto and Isaac pushed between Eduardo and Mimi to reach Bromeliad. Bromeliad gave them a weak, pained smile, as her father and brother reunited with her, pulling her into a relieved embrace. For a few moments, they remained there, before Roberto and Isaac finally let her go, realizing that she was in pain. There was a half-healed wound on Bromeliad's head, a dark bruise blooming under the feathers like a passionflower. Her beak was gritted, as though she was doing everything not to let out a sound of pain. "Where on earth have you been?" Roberto demanded, sounding both angry and relieved. "And... what happened to your head?" he looking accusingly at Mina, who stepped back, but Bromeliad shook her head.

"It wasn't her. She _saved _my life," she explained. This earned a few shocked and doubtful murmurings from the trees.

"Where's mom?" Isaac asked, looking around hopefully. Bromeliad went silent, a look of fear entering her eyes, before tears began spilling over her cheeks. She looked at Mina, who looked away, a look of guilt on her face. Bromeliad looked at the ground, not wanting to imagine the look on her father and brother's faces.

"We need to talk." Mina murmured.

_Meanwhile_

"Come on!" Tiago cried, leaping from the nest, making a beeline for Carla and Bruno. "Stay together!" without hesitation, Carla and Bruno threw themselves into flight, before whirling round and plunging into the trees. Tiago looked over his shoulder, where Azure was following at least a foot behind him. To Tiago's dismay, Azure wasn't alone - their hunter was perilously close already, and she wasn't the only one. Flying beside her was a smaller one, presumably a male, from Tiago's knowledge of these creatures - but just as dangerous. The larger female had sharp, penetrating yellow irises, while the male had brown - almost red-tinted - eyes. And both pairs of orbs were burning with hunger. Both of them had similar feathers - slate-grey, white undersides, with black-bands on their wings. Their feathers were patchy and ragged, the ones around their beaks stained a brownish-red with the blood of prey. Crests spiked up violently on the back on their broad heads, which were armed with cruel, hooked beaks. Their claws were like jaguar teeth in sharpness, curved and glinting like metal in the sun.

"I thought Harpy eagles didn't live this far into Peru!" Bruno exclaimed, looking under his wing with a frantic expression.

"Apparently they do!" Carla snapped, shoving him to the right so he didn't crash into an outstretching branch. "Just fly faster, for goodness sake!" at the back, Azure and Tiago were struggling to keep up with Carla and Bruno, for they were a good few metres behind them - just a few feet ahead of the two Harpy eagles. Harpies were brutal hunters, often a macaw's worst nightmare - a wingspan twice the size of a Hyacinth's height, and many times the weight of one. They usually hunted sloths and monkeys, but they clearly fancied a bit of macaw flesh today. Hopefully they wouldn't get to. It seemed as though the jungle was doing its best to drive them toward the Harpies - vines crossed their paths, trees and branches slowed them down, and the storm had restarted - fat, heavy raindrops, dropping into their eyes. The wind battered at their feathers, piercing and making them lose control of their flying. But the Harpy eagles weren't fazed by the turn of weather - their wings were only beating harder and faster, driving them closer and closer to their prey.

"We can't outfly them!" Tiago exclaimed. "We've got to _hide!"_

"You must be joking!" Carla retorted, but then she vanished into some branches, concealed by the leaves. Her green eyes blazed with fear in her hiding place, but the Harpies hadn't seen her. They were still chasing Bruno, Azure and Tiago - they had to hide close together, so not to separate. Tiago shot into a small hole in a tree trunk, vanishing out of sight, remaining Azure and Bruno - the Harpies were getting closer by the second, and they couldn't lead them to Carla and Tiago. The smaller the group got, the more difficult it was to slip away unseen.

"Move!" Bruno gasped; then Azure felt the breath driven out of him as Bruno suddenly barrel-rolled his way, crashing into him. The male Harpy had slashed at Bruno, missing him by inches, but a couple of blue feathers had been lost. Then they were plunging toward the ground, unable to regain control of their flying, while the Harpy eagles followed. Azure didn't see where Bruno had landed, but as he hit the floor, the impact knocked the breath out of him. He could only lay there on his back, stunned, as the ferns around him shuddered from the eagle wing beats. Then talons hooked onto his wings - he cried out in fear and shock, but then he realized the talons were too small to be an eagle's. "Quiet!" Bruno whispered, terror making his voice shake. Then Azure was being dragged into a hollowed-out log, and they were crouching there together, the blood roaring in their ears. They became silent as they heard movement around their hiding place - they both stifled gasps as the thin wood of the log shook. The frail wood above them groaned with the weight of the eagle, and a few splinters fell onto the two boys' heads. _It's directly above us, _thought Azure.

Slowly, carefully, Azure began moving along the log wall, aware that the Harpy eagle above his head was beginning to realize where her prey had gone. Through a tiny gap in the ceiling, he saw her placing the side of her head on the log beneath her talons, while the male stalked along the side, a low, gravelly sound coming from his throat. The two Harpies knew that Azure and Bruno were hiding here, and it would be only a matter of time until they spotted the gap Bruno and Azure had used to enter their hiding place. They'd be trapped - nowhere to flee. "Any ideas?" Bruno whimpered, meekly, as the eagles moved closer to the entrance. Azure tried to think - maybe one of them could be spared, if they did what he was thinking. It wasn't worth having them both fly out of the entrance - only one was needed drive the Harpies away.

"I've got something, but it's... _mad."_ Azure whispered, shaking slightly. "Get Carla and Tiago, and don't lose me - but stay out of their sight." Bruno's eyes flashed in confusion, not understanding what Azure meant.

"Huh? What do you…" then realization dawned upon Bruno, and he frantically shook his head. "No way… you're not - if you think for one minute that I'm letting your sacrifice yourself, you're wrong."

"I'll lead them away." Azure replied, not listening. Bruno ran at him, clearly to stop him - but too late. Azure rushed from the log entrance, waving his wings frantically to get the Harpies' attention._ "Hey!"_ he shouted, as loud as he could, and the eagles' heads whipped up, their moon-like eyes fixed upon him. "Hungry? Come and get me!" Azure whipped around, before he began flying, faster than he ever had in his life, praying that the eagles wouldn't realize that Bruno was still hidden somewhere they could easily trap him.

Meanwhile, Bia and Orchid stood on a branch, sheltered from the rain by leaves. Orchid was bouncing impatiently on her toes, while Bia's wings were crossed, her eyes dull. They had been looking for hours, but everything was going downhill. The weather was only getting worse, they hadn't seen so much as a glimpse of their lost friends, and Orchid had been attacked by flying branches multiple times. The smaller, younger macaw didn't have good coordination, so she couldn't dodge out of the way quickly enough whenever a branch blocked her path. Bia had had to pluck out a few splinters from Orchid's face and wings, and there was still a neat pile of wood splinters sitting between her and Orchid. Bia was twirling a blue feather in her talons, running a claw over the silky filaments. She used it to mark an unfinished drawing within her sketch book - it was one of Azure's feathers, and it made her miss him even more. Bia missed Azure so much - no matter how young she was, she knew she loved him.

"Bia -" Orchid began, but Bia shook her head.

"Orchid, I checked - for the last time, there's no chance you have any splinters left…"

"No!" Orchid replied, and Bia looked up. Orchid's eyes were blazing with excitement and relief. "Did you hear that? I heard it! I'm telling you!" Bia frowned, before she strained her ears, hoping to hear whatever it was Orchid had heard. Then her eyes widened - Azure's voice, echoing through the trees. She sprang to her feet, stuffing the feather back into the bag, before Orchid picked it up, and slung it around her own shoulder. But then the relieved smiles on their faces faded. Azure was _shrieking. _A chill ran down Bia's spine - whenever she heard him shrieking, she had chilling recollections of the fire that had almost killed her and Azure. Bia didn't look at Orchid - instead, she threw herself into flight, desperate to reach him. Orchid gasped, shouting that she wait for her, but Bia didn't listen.

"Azure!" she cried, as loudly as she could, desperate not to lose him. Azure's shrieks stopped abruptly - he had heard her. And then he was calling her name, sounding shocked.

"_Bia?" _he shouted back, disbelief in his voice. Joy flooded through her, and she suddenly forgot that he had been screeching just moments ago. Suddenly, he burst from the trees - feathers drenched in rainwater, his wavy head feathers now straight and flat from being soaked, but Bia knew him all the same. He had the same blue eyes, with their amber fleck, the thin scar on his wing. It was definitely him. But why did he look so terrified? "Fly!" Azure pleaded, flying straight at her - but at that moment, Orchid emerged from Bia's left, coming between the two.

"Watch out -" Bia began, but her warning came too late, as Azure was flying too fast to slow down. He crashed straight into his sister, who gasped in surprise. They crashed into some vines, and in their struggle, became tangled up in the green tendrils. It was funny at first, for Azure was hanging by one foot, and Orchid was upside-down, but then Bia saw the horrified look in Azure's eyes. He was looking at something behind her, and as he did, Bia heard a screech that chilled her bones.

"Bia! Look out!" Azure cried. Bia turned, but as she did, she found herself staring into two yellow moons. No, not moons. _Eyes._ She wanted to turn and fly. But she was frozen, unable to acknowledge the large claws that had risen, that were slashing toward her. Then her blood flew into the air._ "Bia!"_ Azure shrieked in horror.


	27. Dire situations

Bia dropped like a stone, hurtling toward the ground. She landed hard, on the black soil, aware of the agony that was tearing through her chest; she could imagine her skin screaming, if it had the ability to. She couldn't get her mind to work - it was as if she was paralyzed. And she was - frozen with fear, as she heard the triumphant Harpy eagle cries above her. Bia clutched her chest, quivering, terrified of what would happen next. She knew all about Harpy eagles - she knew how they killed. Bia was powerless - she couldn't run. The pain was too much, too overwhelming. She rolled onto her side, wings pressed on her chest to stem some of the bleeding, but it didn't slow down. Tears began spilling from her eyes.

In the vines, Azure and Orchid were struggling fiercely, trying to free themselves as well as distract the Harpies from Bia, but they took no notice. Their hungry eyes were fixed upon Bia, who was lying motionless on the floor. All the while, Azure was screeching Bia's name, desperately trying to reach the vine that had caught on his foot. _Where are Bruno, Carla and Tiago when you need them?_ "Azure!" Orchid exclaimed, and his head whipped up - Orchid's beak was open, and then, before Azure knew it, he was falling through the air, the vine on his ankle snapped. His instinct was to rush to her, to help her out of her vine prison, but Orchid was shaking her head, eyes darting from Azure to Bia. "Forget about me! I'll get myself out of this mess, just help her!"

With a moment's hesitation, Azure turned, folding his wings in a dive to reach Bia - the Harpies were circling, almost taking their time in getting to their prey. They knew Bia couldn't move, and it was if they were enjoying it, watching her in pain. Azure shot past them, and immediately, the blue streak caught their attention. Azure almost crash-landed on the ground, but he stopped himself from doing so moments before he made contact with the floor. As soon as his talons touched the mossy ground, Azure ran to Bia's side, calling her name. "Bia!" he gasped, skidding to a halt. "Bia, can you hear me?" She didn't respond - her eyes were closed and seeping with tears, but Azure knew how much pain she was in. Finally, she mumbled his name.

"Azure..." she muttered, in a dazed voice. Azure couldn't see the wound, for she was on her side, wings clasped around her chest, where the eagle had struck. He wrapped his wings around his head, clueless as to what to do. Azure looked up, where the eagles were getting closer. He spread his wings over Bia, in an attempt to shield her. Suddenly, there was movement in the corner of his eye - when he saw who it was, Azure had never felt so relieved in his life. Bruno, Carla, and Tiago emerged from the bushes, panting.

"Azure, that was such a stupid, reckless idea -" Tiago began, but then he saw his sister, curled up in agony on the ground. He stared in shock, but this turned to horror as he realized she had been injured. Carla, meanwhile, let out a piercing shriek.

"Bia!" Carla wailed, throwing herself at Bia's side, where she was hiding the wound on her chest. Tiago looked up at Azure, eyes piercing and filled with fear.

"Was she hit by an eagle?" he demanded, but Azure couldn't reply. He couldn't take his eyes off Bia, where a red stain was creeping through her wing feathers, as they covered her wound. Bruno was now frantically talking to her, attempting to pry her wings free.

"Bia, move your wings - we have to see the damage." Bruno looked up at the others, with wide eyes. "My mom and dad did basic medical training - they taught me about bleeding and medical plants. To stop the bleeding, I need some moss, quickly -" but then Bruno's beak snapped shut, for the group was now cloaked in shadow. Slowly, they all looked up - the female and male Harpies were towering above them, eyes crazed and wild with triumph. Azure felt a spark of outrage as he saw the female's left claws, which were glistening with red - red with Bia's blood.

Above them, a blue comet came hurtling from the vines - Orchid, a few vine fragments still caught in her feathers. She threw herself at the back of the female's head, wings wrapping tightly over her eyes, her own screwed shut. Immediately, the female let out a squawk of surprise, beginning to leap around, wildly, trying to shake Orchid off. The eagle kept tripping and bumping into things, unable to see, while the male chased her, squawking. The group stared in bewilderment, before snapping back to reality.

"I'll help Orchid!" Tiago declared. He looked at Bia, before leaving her side, leaping toward Orchid and the eagles. "Get away from her!" He demanded, but Azure knew that even both Tiago and Orchid wouldn't stand a chance. He looked back at Bia, hesitantly, before he heard Orchid crying out. He whipped round, where the male's beak had closed on the end of her tail, refusing to let go. Tiago was desperately clawing at the male, but his efforts were useless. Looking at Bia once, Azure threw himself at the male eagle, raking at it's head to make it release Orchid. He dodged a snapping beak, looking over his shoulder.

"We'll hold them off! Get her somewhere safe!" Azure begged, before turning back to face the eagles.

"Carla!" Bruno said, urgently, holding one of Bia's wings. "Grab her other wing! We need to get her away, quickly!" Carla looked up, torn between helping the others or helping Bia, before she nodded. Carefully, she wrapped her talons around Bia's other wing, but then she leapt back when Bia cried out in pain. "Carla, help me!" Bruno said, sharply, as the male eagle stumbled their way, trying to dislodge the clawing Azure from it's shoulder. Carla gasped.

"Sorry, Bia!" She exclaimed, before grabbing Bia's other wing. Bia cried out again, but Carla only flinched this time, holding her by one wing, and Bruno the other. Together, they flew up the nearest tree, finding and flying into a hollow. Gently, the pair let go of Bia, putting her down. Carla crouched beside her sister, before she looked up at Bruno with desperate eyes. "What do we do?"

"I need to see the wound." Bruno replied, before looking down at Bia. "Bia? I need you to move your wings, now - you're losing a lot of blood." The blood that was soaking through Bia's wing feathers had expanded, and more was spreading underneath. Bia's eyes snapped open, and she looked from Carla to Bruno, trembling in fear as she heard the eagles, still shrieking, outside. Then her wings went slack, allowing Bruno and Carla to survey the damage. Carla looked up at Bruno worriedly, from where she was holding Bia's head up. Bruno carefully took Bia's wings, moving them aside.

"How bad is it?" Carla asked, unable to look. Bruno didn't reply - he was staring at the wound on Bia's chest. Finally, Carla looked down, and she drew in a shuddering breath. Three enormous claw marks were carved into Bia's chest - weeping with blood, which showed no sign of slowing. The wound was ragged-edged, and dark red. "Oh, no." Carla whispered. Then there was a great commotion in the entrance - Bruno and Carla looked up to see a breathless Azure, Tiago and Orchid.

"They gave up!" Orchid gasped, in relief. "You should've seen Tiago - he clawed the male in the eye -" but her sentence finished with a horrified gasp. She had seen Bia's wound, and so had Tiago. Tiago ran to Carla's side, where he stared down at Bia, wings clasped over his beak. He was silent for a few moments, before he got a few words out.

"Will she... be okay?" He whispered. In the entrance, Azure hadn't moved. He was clutching the wall, half-sunk to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes. Bruno looked up at Tiago, where he was now pressing moss onto Bia's wound. He didn't say a word, but by the look in his brown eyes, they knew that Bruno hadn't the faintest idea.

_Meanwhile_

Roberto slammed Mina into the wall, blue eyes blazing with fury. His wing pressed against her neck, and she desperately tried to push him away as the others attempted to drag Roberto off. Roberto was shouting, louder than he ever had in his life. Outside, many Spix's and red macaws were peering inside; some were cheering Roberto on, while others winced. Felipe and Azalea were standing in the entrance of Isaac, Bromeliad, Azure and Orchid's room, where Adele and Leti were now asleep. They were just kids - they couldn't be hearing the Hyacinths' plans. Now, Felipe and Azalea weren't daring to interfere. The moment Mina had told them what happened, Roberto had attacked her without a second thought. "Roberto!" Eduardo barked, angrily, his attempts to pull Roberto away having failed. "Put her down at once!"

"You did _what?"_ Roberto demanded, completely ignoring Eduardo's orders. "You let them hit my _mate and daughter_ on the heads with rocks? You knew their plans, and never told us?" Behind him, Isaac had his wings around Bromeliad, keeping her back as she tried to intervene. They had never seen their father look so angry, and Isaac knew that Bromeliad couldn't risk hurting herself, with her head injury.

"Dad, please -" Bromeliad objected, trying to push Isaac away, but Roberto didn't listen.

"You let them take _my mate!_ What kind of birds are you?"

"Roberto -" Blu protested, grabbing him by the shoulder, but Roberto shoved him away. Blu lost his footing, stumbling, before he fell to the floor. Mimi shot Roberto a furious look, before helping Blu to his feet.

"Isn't this a bit much, Roberto?" Mimi asked, angrily. "Are you alright, Blu? Hey!" Mimi spotted the crowd in the entrance. She snapped her wingtips. "Beat it, nothing to see here." The crowd scrambled out of sight, but they were still hiding close by to listen. Blu held his shoulder, wincing.

"I'm going to go... check on Jewel." He mumbled, before he left the tree, muttering.

"Come on, dad!" Isaac insisted. "Let her go - it's not her fault! I'm sure she can explain..." He was just as frightened as his father and sister - what would they do to his mother? Roberto attacking Mina wasn't going to get them anywhere. For a few moments, Roberto stood there, frozen, his grip still on Mina's neck - finally, shaking with rage, he let her go. Mina collapsed to the ground, coughing, the air rushing back into her lungs. Eduardo asked if she was alright, and Mina gave him a weak wingtips-up. Meanwhile, Roberto turned, stalking away, wingtips buried tightly into his crest feathers. He was having a complete meltdown.

"I..." Mina stammered. She looked up at Roberto, Bromeliad, and Isaac, her eye whites pink from how Roberto had almost strangled her. "I wanted to save Bromeliad and Sophia. I would've, but I needed a disguise - like I did for Blu. Without a disguise, do you know what they would've done?" Mina shuddered. "Anyway, we were patrolling, but that's when we found Bromeliad and Sophia. I didn't have the time, and I couldn't act there. You guys need an inside-macaw - if I'd acted then, firstly, I'd either be banished or killed. You would have the complete disadvantage in this war. And lastly, with me out of the picture, Sophia would've been taken regardless - and Bromeliad would've either been left to the mercy of the jungle or killed." Mina looked down, her voice lowering. "Sophia would never have had a chance."

"But..." Felipe looked lost for words, while everyone else was in stunned silence. "You're _Kerja's_ _daughter_. Why are you... on our side?"

"My mother?" Mina looked up. "She doesn't see me as a daughter... she's never loved me, not really. Maybe it's because I'm so small, or because I have different views from her. I'm on your side because I hate what they're doing. It's sick. Kerja takes pride in the fact that we've driven out six tribes, and she actually enjoys doing it. She's brainwashing Hyacinth kids, and once a Hyacinth grows too old to fight well, they're banished. I can't stand it."

"Are there... others, like you?" Mimi asked. When Mina gave her an offended look, Mimi shook her head. "Not your height - ones who share your views."

"There are some." Mina replied. "But I can't risk bringing them together to help. You can barely keep a secret in my tribe without someone eventually finding out. And Felipe, Azalea -" she looked up at them, apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I would've warned your tribe, but Kerja never told me about the surprise attack. By the time I found out, it was too late." The two Scarlet macaws didn't say a word, at first - before Azalea gave her a sad smile.

"It's alright. None of it was your fault."

"Hello?" Roberto interrupted. They turned around, looking at him. Mina shrank away, seeing that the look on his face hadn't changed. Roberto looked sick with fear and worry. "Why are we sitting here? What are they going to do to Sophia?" All eyes turned to Mina - outside, the gathered tribe leaned closer, with Sophia's closest friends at the front.

"Interrogation." Mina replied, quietly. "They want to know your tribe's secrets - what will drive you out. There's two ways they can extract infomation from her. Firstly, there's a kind of plant. It... makes you deluded, confused, makes you see things that aren't really there. As it confuses her, it could make her tell them everything. But that plant is hard to come by, so chances are, they're not going to use that. They'll use the other way."

"What is the other way?" Bromeliad and Isaac asked, at the same time. Mina didn't say a word, but she lifted her wing, revealing a brutally sharpened pencil. She had a thin vine tied under her wing, meaning that she didn't need to carry it. It was a mandatory thing in her tribe, unless the weapon was too awkward or big to have under the wing. Mina dropped the pencil to the ground, while the others looked at each other.

"They'll use anything to get the infomation they want." She murmured, knowing that the weapon would make them understand. "I'll tell you everything they're planning. Then we need a rescue plan, and we need it fast."


	28. A traitor in the midst

Kerja watched over the Red macaw kapoks, her expression holding it's usual grimace. In the Kapoks below, her tribe members were practicing - throwing their human knives at the targets, painted on the tree trunks. To Kerja's satisfaction, many knives were striking the targets. They were using the Kapoks as a training centre, for now - the cave was too small and dark, and out here, they could celebrate in their victory.

The night they had driven the Reds out, they had spent hours celebrating their victory, while others moved the dead bodies away. They had suffered no fatalities, although, somehow, several had been terribly injured. They had driven out the so-called 'powerful' Red tribe - they had their trees, their fruit, something they didn't have a lot of in their own territory. As soon as the war had been won, Kerja's growing tribe would have their pick of three places to live - the Spix's ravine, the Scarlet and Green-Winged's kapoks, or the flowery territory of the Blue-and-Golds. The Hyacinths would be feared throughout the entire Amazon.

Their own territory was sparse - food pickings were slim, trees barely had any decent hollows for them to live in, and it couldn't sustain her expanding tribe for much longer. Kerja would have normally set her sights elsewhere, rather than other territories - but the four tribes in this area of the Amazon were protected from the infectious touch of humans. What a better fate for their unfortunate neighbours - struggling in a dangerous jungle, while Kerja and her tribe didn't have to listen out for machinery or human voices. But her territory expansion was also a golden opportunity - an opportunity to put something in the past to rest, something Kerja had never let go of.

Kerja's mother had died before she had hatched, so her father had raised her. Jorge had been her entire world - the only family she had. But he had been stolen from her - slain by Eduardo. Mina had tried to tell her that it was self-defence, being the sympathetic macaw she was - that one suggestion had earned her a claw to the cheek. Maybe that was true, but Kerja didn't care. Eduardo had killed Jorge in cold blood, in her mind. She was obsessed with avenging her father - an unhealthy obsession, for she had dreamed of vengeance everyday for over fifteen years. Kerja had long tried to form the perfect revenge plan - and this time couldn't have been more perfect. Not only could she finally avenge Jorge, but she could give the Hyacinths the home they deserved. It was like killing two birds with one stone.

Kerja focused her attention on the training below - they were still throwing knives at targets. Meanwhile, others were using branches to mimick the idea of slashing a weapon - they were going against each other, slashing and blocking each other with branches. Kerja spotted two teenaged Hyacinths, in the corner of her eye - chatting away without a care in the world. She narrowed her eyes.

"Oi!" She shouted, and the pair jumped. They whirled round, quickly bowing at the sight of their matriarch. "How dare you - relaxing, while we prepare for something that could effect the lives of your descendants?" She narrowed her eyes again. "You know what? Prove to me that you're determined. Either you get back to work, or you fight each other, right now."

"What?" Asked one, eyes widening in shock. "No way! He's my best friend, I can't do that." All eyes turned to them, and the air became horribly tense. Kerja flew over to them, the branch shuddering as she landed. She leaned forward, speaking in a dangerously soft voice.

"You saw what happened to Felipe's female healer. Do you want to suffer the same fate?"

"Uh... no?" Replied the other Hyacinth, seeming to shrink as Kerja leaned toward them. The entire tribe seemed to hold their breath, as they waited for Kerja to reply.

"Then get back to training!" Kerja barked, spittle flying, and the two seized their sling-shots, hastily beginning to aim and shoot at berries. Satisfied that they were definitely going to train, Kerja flew back to her perch. She would've preferred the younger Hyacinths to use something more lethal in battle, but Mina had convinced her that there was no point in risking the younger macaws. Kerja didn't personally think that a Spix's macaw could beat a young Hyacinth, but it had gotten Mina to shut up.

Kerja could never understand Mina. Why she hated the idea of a fight was a complete mystery to her. She had raised her on stories of gore, like how many other Hyacinth parents did, but Mina had been horrified by the tales. This was a common case with other chicks, but they eventually grew out of it, learning to love the horror stories of their parent's past battles. But for some reason, Mina only seemed to get even more horrified with every story Kerja had told her. To make things worse, Mina had _sympathy _for the other tribes. It was actually embarrassing for Kerja, as well as Mina's physical appearance.

As her only offspring, Mina was supposed to be her heir - she didn't exactly look the part. Why Mina was small was unknown, but it was probably something to do with Kerja's own deformity. She looked down at her gnarled, twisted foot, where it was awkwardly wrapped around her pocketknife. It had to be something genetic - a faulty one, something missing or added. The foot didn't bother her anymore; she had learned to live with it, after years of struggling to adapt. When she was younger, she had been like Mina - struggling to keep up with others, laughed at by other kids for her foot, but Jorge had taught her to fight back. Mina, meanwhile, had befriended other species growing up, including a young Glaucous macaw, before Kerja had driven them out. Thinking back to Mina, Kerja began thinking about her other issues. As well as being short, she had no scars to make her look fierce. Of course there was an option in the Hyacinth tribe - something her father had suggested when he was alive.

There was the option of deliberately giving scars to young Hyacinths. Many parents, however, were horrified by the idea, refusing. But it was a wide practice within the higher ranks. They had tried that with Mina, as a teenager, years ago. Kerja had ordered someone to hold Mina, while another slashed a wound into her side. But it hadn't worked, like Kerja had hoped. Mina's wound had healed unbelievably fast, instead - it hadn't even left a major scar. It was only visible if the feathers were pushed back. Her recovery had mystified the tribe, but Kerja had discovered some odd plant leaves in Mina's nest, explaining it - she had healed herself. Other young Hyacinths would pick and scratch, leading to an ugly, thick scar, but Mina had been sensible. She hadn't touched it, other than applying that medical plant. So Kerja had given up trying to scar her. Even if she didn't feel that much affection for Mina, it would just make her look like a savage, to try inflict a more serious wound on her own daughter.

If Mina couldn't look fierce with scarring, she had to at least look sophisticated - this often gave the impression of power. Mina wasn't anything like that. She looked childish, even though she was now over fifteen years old. A rounded face, with fluffy feathers? She just looked like a larger teenager with an adult build. They'd be ridiculed by the other tribes. Mina wasn't much larger than Johanna and Alejandro, who were among the largest of macaw leaders. Those ditzy Blue-and-Golds would be laughing at the very idea. _At least they won't be here to see it - not only will I refuse to let Mina take my place, but they'll be out of this Amazon. _Mina would refuse the position as successor anyway - when Kerja had spoken to her about it, she had objected, stating that she wasn't leader material.

Kerja would get rid of the Blue-and-Golds as soon as the Spix's and Reds were gone - leave the easiest until last. Kerja would've organized attacks on Blue-and-Gold patrols, but she only had so many macaws. They had to focus on the Red and the Spix's until they weren't a problem. Many of her tribemates thought that by the time the Spix's and the Reds were driven out of the sanctuary, the Blue-and-Golds would have already fled, too afraid to stay.

And that was probable - Johanna was absent, and with that Alejandro not doing a good job of leadership himself, the Blue-and-Golds would likely flee for their own safety. Kerja had been told at how useless Alejandro was without Johanna, and she had gone to see for herself. She had seen the entire Blue-and-Gold tribe in the middle of a meeting, arguing about something, but they weren't listening to Alejandro' s commands of silence. Instead, they had continued arguing. It had taken several of Alejandro's right-wing birds to get them to shut up and listen. He wasn't strong enough alone - they needed another leader, one like Johanna, to keep them in order.

Kerja didn't know what Johanna was doing in Eduardo's ravine - she hadn't left it since Kerja's spies had watched the Blue-and-Gold matriarch flying in there. What was she doing there? Discussing Kerja and her tribe? Plotting their retaliation? Unless she was caring for a sick or injured bird, as this was rumoured. That wouldn't surprise Kerja - Johanna was frequently called by other tribes, those outside the sanctuary, to help the more complicated of disease and injury. That often didn't take long, but this time, Johanna had been there for a few weeks. Kerja didn't know for certain if all this was true, but maybe their guest could shed some light on that.

It had been over a day since they had captured Sophia, but she hadn't so much uttered a word of useful infomation. She was refusing to tell them anything about her tribe. Maybe they should've taken the girl, instead - the teenager was probably more willing to cooperate, while Sophia was as stubborn as a Brazil nut shell. Kerja couldn't help but admire her loyalty - Sophia was tougher than she thought. But based on what her body guards, Aloisio and Emerico, had told her, they were coming close to finding some valuable infomation. After all, with what else they had planned, Sophia couldn't keep silent forever.

"Kerja!" said a voice, above her. Kerja only allowed those of higher ranks or those closest to call her by her name - for others, it was Madam. Beryl, one of Kerja's right-wing birds, was hovering in the air before her, several other patrol members behind her. Beryl looked deeply troubled, and the macaws behind her were pacing in the air, flying back and forth, clearly restless.

"What's happened?" Kerja asked, glancing up.

"We were in Eduardo's Brazil nut grove, when we overheard a Spix's patrol passing - we would have attacked, but we were too heavily outnumbered." Beryl began. "Their patrols are now massive. Anyway, Rodrigo heard them talking. It seems as though the daughter survived - the Spix's macaws know we've got Sophia." Below, the fighting practice stopped, and Hyacinths turned to listen. There was an uneasy muttering at this news. Kerja blinked at Beryl.

"Go on." Kerja nodded, her expression unreadable, and Beryl carried on talking.

"But the thing is, the daughter didn't go back herself. She had help. Rodrigo only heard fragments, but he heard a few words -" Beryl looked back at the male Hyacinth, who nodded, allowing her to tell Kerja. "He only got the words 'Hyacinth', 'Helped', and 'Bromeliad', who we're assuming is the name of Sophia's daughter. Do you know what that could mean?" Beryl looked around the kapoks, eyes raking over every Hyacinth. "Someone here... now bear in mind that we didn't hear it all... could be helping the Spix's. We don't know if it's a one-off or what, but... it means that there could be a traitor in our midst." Kerja said nothing for a few moments - outside, she looked unchanged. But inside, there was a flame of outrage, flaring and burning. Then it exploded, as she then shouted, her voice echoing around the Kapoks.

"Every one of you spread out and get everybody back to our cave! Our calling shells are at the entrance. Take one and start using it, so we can get everybody back. We're having a tribe meeting." Immediately, her tribe scrabbled to obey her commands, rushing to the entrance. Kerja seized one such shell, before abandoning her perch.

_Meanwhile_

"Hold still, Bia! You'll make it worse!" Carla fretted. They'd been doing this for at least an hour, and Bia wasn't cooperating. She was in too much pain to hold still - and Bruno was worried that the claws had damaged more than her flesh. Even with two macaws pinning her wings, Bia wouldn't keep still. It was threatening to restart the bleeding, and Bruno had just got it to stop.

"Enough of this." Bruno muttered. He disappeared outside - and then he returned with a few odd-looking berries.

"What is that?" Tiago asked, craning his neck to see. The hollow was too small to fit them all in, so Azure and Orchid were waiting outside, trying to not panic. Tiago, Carla and Bruno just about fit, with Bia lying on the floor.

"A little thing my mom calls 'dreamberries'." Bruno replied. He turned to Bia, where Carla was struggling to keep Bia still. "Bia! Listen to me..." when Bia didn't reply, he sighed. "Great." Bruno then had a lilac berry in one talon. As Bia's beak opened, he darted forward, dropping the berry in. Bia's eyes opened in surprise, but Carla acted quickly, forcing her beak shut so that she had to swallow. Eventually, the berry went down Bia's throat. For a few minutes, she carried on struggling, before she slowed down. Her movements became much slower and smaller, her eyes clouding with fatigue, before her eyes slid shut. "Finally." Bruno sighed. Carla and Tiago looked at him, puzzled, so he began to explain. "Basically, it's some berry my mom found... she used it when I was little, to help me sleep, since I used to have trouble drifting off. The berries send you to sleep."

"How long will she be knocked out for?" Tiago asked, eyes fixed on the now-sleeping Bia.

"Well, when mom first gave it to me, I slept for way too long - over twelve hours. She had to half the berry. It was probably because I was so small. As for Bia, I guess, since she's a small teenager... maybe six hours? Okay, we need to see this wound." Bruno walked up to Bia's side, before peering closely at the wound. It hadn't got much better, but at least it had finally stopped the constant, heavy bleeding. Now, the wound was pink, but still as angry-looking as before. Bruno then shuddered. "Oh, no..."

"What?" Tiago shot forward, trying to see whatever Bruno had. Bruno picked up a twig, before pointing it at the wound.

"You see this?" He asked. Carla crept forward, crouched next to Tiago, dreading what she would see. The twig was hovering a centimetre above the torn flesh, where the brother and sister could see a small flash of white through the pink. "It's a rib. The eagle cut as deep as her bones." Bruno stepped back, wings wrapped around his head. "At least the claws didn't break one - then it could have injured her lungs. If that had happened, I doubt she'd... still be with us." Not daring to look at the horrified expressions of Carla and Tiago's faces, he picked up a different leaf - the one that could help heal it. "Would one of you mind telling Azure and Orchid?"

"I'll... I'll do it." Tiago volunteered, before turning and leaving the hollow, moving in a trance-like way. Carla got up, walking over to and sitting beside Bruno. Her voice shook as she spoke.

"Will she be alright?" Bruno didn't know how to reply to that - he himself didn't know. But then he heard her voice in his ear. "Whatever happens, you saved my sister, Bruno. And for that, I'm more grateful than you can ever imagine."


	29. Infection

Bia was delirious and in so much pain - her chest was on fire, but she didn't want to look at it or allow anyone else to, so she was shielding it from view with her wings. It had been several hours since her chest had been torn, and while the eagles had not returned, Bia was petrified. Since she had woken from being fed a lilac berry, Bruno had told her that whatever he had put on to her wound was supposed to be soothing - it had done nothing. Well, that wasn't exactly true - initially, the leaf had worked, a cooling effect taking place. But then it had faded to a dull ache, until she felt it - a warm sensation that had intensified, until it burned. Bia was trying to ignore it, but she couldn't. She was tossing and turning, wings wrapped around her shoulders, as if she was cold - but she was hot. Unbearably. She whimpered, but regretted it when someone was at her side like lightning. She didn't want to be fussed over.

"Bia?" Azure whispered, in a frightened voice. Bia opened her eyes, squinting to see him in the darkness of the hollow. She could just about make out Bruno and Carla, propped against the wall, wings wrapped tightly around each other. Carla had been so much more affectionate to Bruno - he had stopped Bia from bleeding to death, after all. Without him, she could've been even weaker than she already was, or worse. Bia wanted to thank him, but she could barely bring herself to speak. Outside, she could see Tiago and Orchid, backs to the hollow entrance. Orchid's head was resting on Tiago's shoulder, and his wing was looped around her, his head was tilted up - he was looking up at the starry night sky. Suddenly feeling oddly cold, Bia tried to feel for Azure's wing. Finally, she found it, struggling to speak. She felt unusually cold, which was peculiar, since she had been the opposite minutes before.

"I'm cold." Bia muttered. Azure blinked - how could she be cold? It was an incredibly humid night. But he couldn't let her feel uncomfortable. Azure sat down next to her, resting his wing across her, terrified that he may accidentally brush against her wound. Bia shivered, shuffling closer to him from where she lay. "Thank you." She sighed. Azure had a face like stone, but underneath, all kinds of terrors were racing through his mind, as he imagined all kinds of worst-case scenarios. Was this how Blu felt? Powerless, terrified, as he watched Jewel in her sickness?

"This is all my fault." Azure murmured, feeling tears once again threaten his eyes. "I was so stupid. Why did I go toward you, when I was being chased by two eagles? I knew the danger, but I still lead them straight to you and Orchid. They could've killed you, and she could've been hurt, too. How could I let her be so reckless, taking on that eagle solo? I'm the worst Spix's macaw ever invented."

"Please don't say that." Bia whispered, pushing his wing away, as she was now too hot again.

"But it's true!" Azure insisted, head sinking into his wings. "I've almost killed you twice, now. First, it was the fire. And now this."

"It's not your fault - please don't blame yourself -" then Bia felt a burning sensation on her chest, and she gasped. Azure pried his wings away from his face, looking down at her.

"What? Is it your wound?"

"No," she lied. Bia didn't want to worry Azure, but she wasn't a good liar - he didn't believe her. Azure instead felt her forehead, frowning with worry.

"Heck, Bia - you're really hot. Like... hotter than the air." Bia felt a hot surge of frustration at Azure's comment. They were all fussing over and worried for her, and she was sick to death of it. She pushed his wing away from her forehead, before turning away.

"Look, Azure, I'm _fine._ Just... leave me alone." Bia said, a little more sharply than she intended. She then rolled onto her side, so that her back was to him. Azure's eyes flashed with hurt, before he looked away.

"I see. Fine, if that's what you want." He got to his talons, before leaving the hollow. Meanwhile, Bruno opened an eye, frowning at what Azure had said. _Hotter than the air?_ Quietly, so not to wake Carla, he stood up, walking over to Bia. He stopped, to check her breathing - it was now uneven and laboured. Frowning again, Bruno rested a wingtip on her forehead, eyes widening as he did. _No, it can't be._

"Carla, wake up." He whispered. Behind him, Carla muttered. Bruno turned, speaking urgently. "Carla! Seriously, wake up!" Finally, Carla woke, looking up at him drowsily. "There's something wrong with Bia, help me wake her." Outside, Tiago looked up as Azure left the hollow, this movement causing Orchid to wake. They blinked tiredly at Azure.

"She okay?" Orchid asked, immediately. Azure simply nodded, before flying up to a higher branch in silence. Orchid and Tiago looked at each other, confused. "Did he seem alright to you?" Orchid asked, to which Tiago shrugged. Orchid frowned in concern, as Azure stood in the leaves above, unmoving and distant-looking. Orchid looked at Tiago, where he was staring into the trees warily. Ever since the eagles' attack hours before, he had been awfully quiet. "I'm really sorry, for what happened to Bia." She said, hoping to cheer him up. Luckily, it seemed to have worked, as he flashed her a grateful glance.

"Thanks, Orchid... and also, I can't thank you enough for attacking that Harpy. It was really brave, and because if that, you saved us all." Tiago wrapped a wing around Orchid, and she leaned against him.

"Oh, that's alright. I just... couldn't stand the idea of it. Coming all this way, just to get eaten by a Harpy. And Bia's my friend - I couldn't let her get hurt anymore." Orchid's eyes travelled to the smudge of grey mountains. "You really think it's there?" She asked, hoping for a distraction from Bia's injuries. The mountains were closer than they had been before Bia had been injured, and, when she and Orchid had been separated from the others, Bia had told Orchid at how close she felt to it - it was deep in those mountains, somewhere.

Orchid had faith in Bia, and she shared a similar thought - only she felt as though it were closer. Almost as if it wasn't too far into the mountains, but in the closest ones. It was nearing twilight, the sky turning lilac, the stars beginning to fade out. Twilight was her favourite time of the day - there was something about how it was between night and dawn, the sky turning that gorgeous colour, but with the stars and moon still thrown onto it.

"Oh, I don't know." Tiago replied. "I... I just hope it's close. Because I just have a bad feeling, you know? It's almost like I'm dreading going back."

"What do you mean?" Orchids asked, with a frown. "Not about your mom..."

"That's the thing - I have a feeling she'll be okay. It's...like there's something else." Tiago commented, sounding as confused as Orchid felt. "I don't know what it is. It's odd." He looked back at the mountains. "They really are getting close - I'd say less then an hour's flight to get to the base, maybe a couple of hours to get halfway up one. It's going to be so difficult - what are we going to do, search the mountains one at a time? That'll take days, maybe weeks. There's gotta be a sign, at some point." Tiago then went quiet, blinking. Orchid frowned.

"Tiago?" She asked. Tiago was staring into the mountains, at the closest one. Orchid followed his gaze. This mountain was fairly small, at least compared to the others - the rainforest faded to grassland, and then it became more sparse. It became rocky and grey, dotted with occasional shrubs - they would have to carry some food up there with them, since there wasn't a lot of edible matter. Then Orchid saw what Tiago did. A single, blue light - none of the artificial human creation, but soft and glowing, like a star sparkle. Orchid and Tiago then heard a whispering - a ghostly murmur, but not the scary kind, of inaudible words. The light shone for a few moments, before it winked out. "Tiago... are you hearing and seeing what I am?" She whispered, in awe. "Azure, you witnessing this?" She looked up, where her brother was just about visible. He was staring at the mountain they were, and even though he never said a word in reply, Orchid knew he saw it.

"The Estrella only shows itself to those who need it!" Tiago exclaimed, leaping to his feet, with pure joy. "Carla, Bruno, get out here!" He began leaping on the spot, wings thrown into the air above him. "We're saving mom and Bia afterall -"

"Guys!" Bruno's head appeared from the hollow. His feathers were bushed, his face filled with dread. "If you know where it is, we've got to get moving, fast!" They knew that only meant one thing - Bia had gotten worse. Then Azure, Tiago and Orchid were fighting to fit into the hollow, fighting to see Bia. Carla was sunk against the wall, staring at Bia, who was shivering on the ground, trembling, her feathers glistening with sweat. Even from a foot away, they could smell it - festering. Azure had thought he had detected it, sitting next to Bia, but he hadn't thought it was her wound. Now, hours since she had been struck, they knew what infection looked like. A few hours before, it had been pink and shiny. Now, it was different. Painfully swollen, with a yellow-white liquid forming on it's surface. And the wound was now red - the ragged edges were hinted with green, and they knew that Bia was in absolute agony.

At first, none of them knew how it happened. They had been so careful - cleaning the wound, making sure nothing got into it. Then Bia muttered weakly, through a clenched beak. "Harpy eagles are scavengers, you know." And that explained it all. As well as being hunters, Harpies would scavenge on animal carcasses - and those carcasses could be days old, infested with all kinds of bacteria. That female Harpy could have had her claws in anything - fish, cabybara, deer flesh. And now Bia was paying the price. The infection looked terrible, and Bia clearly had a fever. Infections, especially with one's of Bia's nature, could be deadly.

"Okay, we're leaving, right now." Carla said, firmly, somehow concealing her fear for her sister. She seized the bag, before turning to the others, determination filling her eyes. "She's too weak to fly, who's -" Carla didn't finish, as Azure was already wrapping his talons around Bia. Satisfied, Carla turned to Tiago and Orchid. "Lead the way, Tiachid."

_Meanwhile_

Mina slid in alongside her Hyacinth tribemates, hating the feel of the cool stone beneath her. Her tribemates were talking loudly, all speculating about the purpose of this meeting. She had just about managed to sneak out of the ravine unnoticed by Hyacinth trespassers; her mother had established spies close to the home of the Spix's macaws, but Eduardo and Mimi had shown her an alternative entrance and exit Kerja most likely did not know about. The cave behind the waterfall was a secret within the Spix's tribe, and until now even Felipe and the Red macaws hadn't known about it. Deep within the cave, it had a small tunnel that lead off to the right. This tunnel sloped upwards for some feet, and it took around twenty seconds of running to get to the ground. The tunnel entrance and exit from the outside was hidden by a tree stump, and Mina hadn't been seen by Kerja's placed spies.

It had taken Roberto some convincing to stop him from charging to the Hyacinth cave to rescue Sophia, but they needed a plan - a plan where nobody got killed, where Mina wouldn't be figured out, and one where they actually managed to get in. While they had been discussing ways to rescue Sophia, Mimi had suggested that this was also an opportunity - an opportunity to get rid of the Hyacinths' weaponry. The current plan was to rescue Sophia, while another group got in and destroyed the weapons. Mina knew that they were kept in that cave, the one where the stream ran into the darkness - and the stream was the perfect way to get rid of them quickly. Without weapons, the Hyacinths were more vulnerable.

"Shut it!" Shouted a voice, from the stone perch. Mina stood on her tip-toes, struggling to see past her looming tribe mates, until she finally caught a glimpse of her mother. Kerja was wearing her jaguar tooth necklace, the one with the feathers of all their conquered tribes. Mina felt a flash of anger everytime she saw it - she couldn't believe Kerja took pride in wearing it. Now, there was a thunderous look on her mother's face - and Mina's heart began beating even faster. "There is a traitor amung us!" Kerja shouted, rage burning within her gaze. "Apparently, someone in this cave _helped_ an injured Spix's macaw, and we have reason to believe that they are involved with the enemy!" Shocked gasps sounded around Mina, and immediately, suspicious eyes turned, to try and see who the culprit could be. Mina held her breath, trying to copy the looks so not to show how nervous she was. That would arise suspicion, and nobody lasted long around here if they were suspected of being a traitor.

"Who and why?" Snarled an older male on Mina's right.

"Now, I'm aware that there are several of you in here who are against our ways -" Kerja's scorching gaze raked across her audience, as if accusing every single macaw she laid eyes on. Mina tried not to flinch as it rested upon her. _Does she suspect me? _"-but you must all accept it!" Kerja firmly placed her deformed foot down, lifting it again, only now it was tightly wrapped around her knife. "We are_ Hyacinths_ \- and we will inherit this sanctuary. _We_ will get the land we need and deserve, and_ we _will drive out the pathetic species who stand in our way! I know that one of you here is the culprit, and I am willing to give you one final chance to cut contact with the Spix's." _One chance? You liar, _Mina thought._ If Kerja finds the traitor, she'll skin them alive - even if it's her own daughter. _"I am warning you once - if you continue to betray your ancestors and jeopardize the lives of your future descendants, we will hunt you down..." Kerja paused dramatically. "...and kill you." Kerja then whirled around, vanishing into her stone hollow, as the cave erupted into voices.

Mina stood there, speechless, as her tribemates turned on each other, accusing the other of being the traitor. Desperate not to be blamed herself, Mina slipped through the crowd, heading for a smaller exit to the cave that was usually avoided. She had to warn the Spix's and the Reds that they couldn't talk about her - and she had to find out if they had a rescue plan for Sophia. Reminded of it, Mina quickly changed direction, heading instead for the deeper tunnels. She had to find out where they were holding Sophia - and, most importantly, what they were doing to her. They needed time to figure out a perfect plan, but if Sophia was in a dark place, they had no choice but to go as soon as possible.


	30. Never letting go

Outside Eduardo's tree, the Spix's macaws, and the Green-Winged and Scarlets, were shouting out all kinds of suggestions for the plan, even if the discussion didn't hear it. When Mina had had to go back to her home at that bizarre call, she had quickly instructed them to make a plan in which they achieved their goal while they got in and out without injury. They needed to rescue Sophia, get rid of the weapons via the underground stream Mina had described, and to do that, they had to get in unseen. Most of the Hyacinth tribe were now staying in Felipe's Kapoks - to his fury - so the cave wouldn't be swamped in Hyacinths, but there would still be heavy security and guards at every turn. A group of small, light blue macaws would stand out like a pink chameleon on a tree trunk.

The discussion members consisted of Eduardo, Mimi, Felipe, Azalea, Roberto, Johanna and several other macaws, Spix's and Red - Blu was with Jewel, while they had felt that Isaac and Bromeliad weren't mature enough to be part of the conversation. The other members were intelligent and wise, part of Eduardo and Felipe's inner circles. They were all trying to figure out a plan that suited the requirements, but it was difficult, especially when the cave sounded so complicated. Roberto wasn't part of the conversation, much - he was instead pacing up and down, gnawing his wingtips, listening to every word.

Outside, Bromeliad and Isaac were trying to listen in, unable to conceal their frustration at not being included. "How are they going to get in?" Bromeliad fretted, walking in loose, uneven circles, a trait she showed whenever she was nervous or worried. Isaac couldn't reply, too absorbed in trying to listen to the discussion, but then Bromeliad yelped in surprise. He turned just in time to see Bromeliad catching her foot on a root, before she went tumbling, head-first, into a yellow flower patch, the kind females used as bodypaint in the 'Beautiful Creatures' dance. Despite the situation, Isaac couldn't help but laugh, laughing even more when Bromeliad emerged from the bushes. "Oh, no." Bromelaid muttered, looking down at herself in dismay. The cerulean feathers of her chest and face were now invisible, transformed to bright yellow.

"That's made my day, sis." Isaac chuckled, unable to wipe the grin from his face. "I barely recognize you, actually... if your feathers were darker, and the yellow was just on your face, I'd swear you were a..." Then he blinked, looking Bromeliad up and down. "Holy mangoes. That's it."

"Huh? I don't understand." Bromeliad was baffled. Isaac pushed past his sister, looking more closely at the yellow flowers, before he spotted a collection of darker blue ones behind it.

"Our ticket into the cave." He replied, before diving into the dark blue flower patch, knowing that Bromeliad would know what he meant. Meanwhile, the discussion inside Eduardo's tree was continuing, macaws putting forward their ideas and voicing concerns.

"First off, our group will leave via the tunnel in the waterfall cave, and do everything in their power to stay out of sight. Mina will lead us, using a route where we cannot be spotted by Kerja's spies - and yes, we can trust her." He glared at two Green-Winged macaws, who were muttering in doubt. "We will need to get into the cave unnoticed - a distraction could draw out some of them, decreasing our chances of getting spotted." Eduardo said, his talon placed on the diagram in the soil. The large circle represented the Hyacinth cave, with a series of squiggly lines outside one end representing the jungle surrounding it. "Johanna, I believe you had an idea for a distraction?" He prompted. The Blue-and-Gold leader nodded, rising to her feet, approaching the diagram.

"Yes. A light display - it'll surely lead some of them out. By a light display, I mean fire." Naturally, her suggestion resulted in fierce objection.

"We have suffered two devastating fires in the past, Johanna - one took lives..." Mimi looked sideways at Eduardo, Felipe and Azalea, who all looked away. "And the recent one almost killed Roberto's entire brood and my niece's kids." Mimi continued. "We cannot start a fire - what if it spreads?"

"No, you misunderstand." Johanna shook her head. "We wouldn't set the forest on fire. That would lead to deaths, and that's not the Blue-and-Gold's style." Johanna picked up a stick, before pointing to one end. "Imagine this was a large branch. Here is where we would light the branch, and the rest would be soaked in water, to stop it spreading down and burning talons. If several macaws flew in the trees, each holding flaming branches, it would draw the Hyacinths out to see what it is - if Kerja sends someone to investigate, there'll be plenty of puddles to throw the fire into, with the rain we've had. And with several macaws spaced out with flaming branches, the distraction will last."

"You know, that's actually not a bad idea." Felipe said, but the others were still muttering in reluctance, and the surprise was obvious, given Felipe's own memories of fire. "It's better than live bait." He pointed out, and that seemed to convince the others. He nodded to Johanna, before he turned to Eduardo, to allow him to carry on.

"Thank you, Johanna, Felipe. With the distraction in place, our group will quickly slip into the cave, using the shadows as cover, and Mina as a guide. Roberto and Mina will free Sophia, while the rest of you destroy the weapons. The group will then reunite, and follow Mina out through the closest and easiest escape route. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Murmured the others, in unison.

"Who will be going, besides Roberto and Mina?" Asked Azalea, leaning forwards. "I'm not sure if our tribe will be much help, but I'm sure there'll be a few volunteers."

"Anyone strong should go," Mimi advised. "The younger and the elderly are out of the question - and not you, brother." Eduardo's pale green eyes flashed, but as he opened his beak to protest, he was drowned out by agreements from the others. They all agreed with Mimi - the main reason for Kerja's planned attack was Eduardo. Kerja wanted revenge, and if he went, she'd surely kill him. It took some persuasion, but finally, Eduardo gave in, agreeing to stay in the ravine, but he was still angry. "The same goes for the leaders." Mimi continued, looking at Felipe, Azalea, and Johanna, and the three nodded with reluctance.

"There's something we haven't covered." Johanna said, and they turned to face her. "Even with the distraction in place, there's no guarantee the cave will be empty. The rescue party will be seen at some point, with Hyacinths at every turn - there's a slim chance of reaching the weapons and Sophia." Behind them, the pacing stopped, as Roberto had frozen at this statement. "Any ideas?" She asked, biting her lower beak. There were none; but at that moment, a female Spix's macaw let out a high-pitched shriek of fear. Upon seeing the two figures in the tree entrance, they recoiled in fear and bewilderment. Then Felipe was hurtling across the room, letting out an infuriated squawk. He bowled over the right figure, talons wrapping around his throat; the figure let out a shocked cry, fighting to shove the angry Scarlet macaw away.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, in a familiar voice. "It's _us!" _Felipe stopped, blinking in surprise, before he released him, recognition lighting in his eyes.

_"Isaac?" _Felipe asked, incredulously, backing away. Roberto turned at the mention of Isaac, eyes widening at the sight of him. He walked up to his son, looking him up and down; he then touched the yellow on Isaac's face, and Roberto's wingtip came away, covered in yellow pollen.

"What... on earth..." Roberto asked, looking from Isaac to Bromeliad. The pair's light blue feathers had transformed - now, their plumage had turned darker, to a midnight blue. Of course there were Spix's macaws in the tribe with darker feathers, but this dark blue was accompanied by yellow face markings. Isaac and Bromeliad's eyes were dusted in yellow pollen, the one females used in the 'Beautiful Creatures' dance, and there were crescent-moon shaped yellow parts by their lower beaks. They looked eerily like young Hyacinths, but smaller. Now, realizing that the two macaws weren't as they appeared, the others came forward, staring at Isaac and Bromeliad.

"Goodness..." Mimi said, in awe. "You two... look just like Hyacinths." She turned to the others, who's looks of shocks had transformed to looks of amazement.

"We thought we'd help." Bromeliad explained. "You see? The group can hide in plain sight." Gasps sounded around them, of agreement and praise.

"It's marvellous!" Azalea praised, looking excitedly around. "You'd blend in perfectly - you look just like them, only smaller. With our size, any of us could pass for a younger Hyacinth, looking like that..."

"I just fell in a flower patch. It was Isaac's idea." Bromeliad added, nudging her brother. "He deserves all the credit." Isaac blushed as the older macaws began commenting on his brilliance. Roberto was shaking his head in disbelief.

"You know what Blu said to me, when you were born, Isaac?" Roberto said, the first time he had spoken in several minutes. "He said that 'Isaac' was the name of a human genius. And you, Isaac, are a genius."

_Meanwhile_

_Kerja lay in her nest, the tears falling as heavily as the rain outside the cave. Could she dare face the expectant tribe outside her new hollow? She heard them muttering, saying that she was too young - barely a young adult, and she had a mangled foot. What sort of an image would she paint? A foolish girl with a deformity, devastated by the death of her beloved father. She'd look weak. Kerja didn't want to face them all - the grief was too fresh, and there was a chance she was going to break down in front of the whole tribe. That would reassure their confidence in her, if she greeted them on her first appearance as leader in tears._

_It had been a few weeks since Jorge had died - no, she reminded herself, been slaughtered - by Eduardo. She felt the familiar burst of fury, reminded of the cowardly Spix's leader. How dare he? He had killed Jorge in cold blood, with the very knife Kerja now held in her talons. A fire ignited in her brain and her heart, and suddenly, her grief transformed - transformed into rage. The fire spread, burning through her blood, her veins, her bones. Suddenly, she felt an eerie calm. _

_She looked at the knife handle, where Jorge had recorded his kills by making a nick in the old wood. __Kerja picked up the knife, before she etched a new mark into the surface - half as long as Jorge's nicks. She would extend it to full size once Eduardo had paid the price. It would take as long as it needed - she'd attack when he was least expecting it. She'd make him and his entire tribe pay dearly, no matter how long it took. Kerja would never let it go - she would keep fighting until Jorge's restless spirit had some closure._

_Outside, she heard Beryl's voice, hissing that it was time. Then the tribe began chanting her name, meaning that it was time for her to make her appearance. Kerja stood up, Jorge's knife tightly wrapped in her deformed claw, before she saw his most prized possession in the corner of her eye. A necklace hanging on the wall, with banished tribe feathers, and the jaguar tooth. She looped it over her neck, before turning, stalking toward the entrance, ready to face the tribe - her tribe. She'd do everything Jorge wanted for the tribe, and then she'd find a way to put his spirit to rest. Kerja was determined to show Eduardo just how fierce she was, but she'd wait until the moment was right. When his life was finally happy. When it was, she would cut a scar into his life - a scar that would never fade. She'd take everything from him - and when every trace of happiness was gone, Kerja would kill him._

Kerja blinked at the memory. She hadn't remembered that moment in years - when she had officially declared war on Eduardo and his pathetic tribe. She still felt the exact same emotions. Grief, rage. It had only intensified over the years, and now, she was closer to her life goal. They had finally extracted some useful infomation from Sophia, but the question was; what should they do with her now? They had what they needed - information about the ravine layout, the secrets of the Spix's. Sophia was now worthless. Maybe they could keep her alive for longer - there were still unanswered questions. Alternatively, they could get rid of her...

"Madam," said a voice, behind her. Kerja turned on her perch, where Mina stood.

"Well, it's about time I saw you." Kerja said, flatly. "I barely see you nowadays - where are you, chatting to our neighbours?" She had meant it as sarcasm, but Mina's eyes widened, and she began running a talon through her left wing feathers, something she did whenever she was nervous. Mina coughed, before meeting her mother's grey eyes.

"No, madam." She said.

"Good. Anyway, what do you want?" Kerja picked up her knife, inspecting the sharpness of the blade.

"I was just checking out the tunnels - apparently, the poles in the Forbidden Tunnel are getting incredibly old, and need replacing, because the tunnel might collapse... Oh, I just thought I'd ask about the prisoner." Mina leaned against the a hollow entrance, casually. "What has she told you? Anything useful?"

"That information is classified, Mina." Kerja replied, sharply. She frowned to herself, wondering why Mina had a sudden interest in the prisoner.

"I see. Well, I'll just be off now -" Mina began, turning to leave.

"Wait." Kerja called out, and Mina turned. She narrowed her eyes, seeing how uncomfortable Mina looked. "Is there something... irritating you? You seem... tense."

"Of course not." Mina said, her tone neutral, but there was something in her eyes - something strange. Kerja nodded slowly, watching Mina go. She had an idea about her daughter's behaviour. But it was something she really didn't like.


	31. Hope's door

Blu was running. He couldn't fly - it was just like what he used to be, unable to. No matter how much he flapped his wings, he couldn't lift off the forest floor. The tangles of creepers and vines were snagging his feet, making him fall, and all the while, he could hear Jewel's weak, terrified voice, ahead. He couldn't see her - no matter how much he ran toward the source of her voice, the further away it seemed to get. Jewel was screaming, and weeping - pleading for him to save her. "Jewel!" Blu cried, desperate now.

"Blu! Hurry! I can't hold on..." Jewel's voice grew even weaker. Blu knew what she meant - she was clinging onto her life. "Tell the kids I love them..."

"No!" Blu shouted. "No, Jewel! You - you can't!" He bursted from the trees, finally seeing her. Jewel was lying on the ground, struggling to breathe, blood trails streaming from her eyes, ears, beak. Her feathers had lost their silky shine, and were now dull, ragged, patchy. Her eye whites were red with blood, and she was lying at the talons of a large, black silhouette, with eyes like polished grey stones. Blu tried to reach Jewel, but invisible talons were dragging him back. Mocking laughter flooded his ears, and his mate's tortured screams. Then Jewel's wails cut off. Blu let out an ear-splitting shriek, his world shattering like glass._ "Jewel!"_

"Wake up!" Small talons were shaking him. Blu leapt to his feet, staggering across the room, crashing into the wall. Breathing rapidly, Blu whirled around, eyes bulging with fear. His racing heartbeat slowed, at the sight of little Leticia. Leti's eyes were rounded, innocent, and her face filled with curiosity. The hazel flecks of Azalea's irises were fanning out from the black pupils, surrounded by a thicker border of Felipe's green. "Mr Blu? Are you okay?" Leti inquired, in a polite, yet concerned voice. Blu stared at the little chick, eyes wide, the sound of Jewel's shrieks still echoing in his mind. "Mommy and Daddy asked me to wake you up, as Mr. Eduardo wants your opinion on a plan in rescuing Auntie Sophia. You were screaming, are you alright? Do you want me to fetch Miss Johanna?" It took Blu a few moments to take in Leti's words, to understand, the reality of his nightmare fading.

"No, thank you... I'm fine, just a horrible... dream." Blu stammered, covering his face with his wings. Tears welled up, but he brushed them away. Leti tipped her head to side.

"I had a nightmare, the other day... a big Hyacinth threw me and Adele out of our nest, when we couldn't fly... anyway, Mr Eduardo wants to speak to you."

"Okay, okay, just tell him I'll be there in a minute." Blu said, hoping to slow down his racing heart. Leti nodded.

"Okay-dokey. Come on, Adele!" Leti bounced outside, carefree, forgetting Blu's shaken state, before Adele's head came through the entrance. Her coconut-brown eyes were filled with sympathy.

"Get well soon!" Adele chirped, before chasing after Leti. With a jolt, he remembered that he had fallen asleep at Jewel's nestside. He turned, where Jewel was sleeping, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed. Blu felt a surge of relief. She was alright - she wasn't in critical condition just yet, but he had heard them whispering - it could be soon that she slipped out of stable and into critical. Blu had prayed every night - to Tia, begging her to watch over her daughter, and keep her with him. He had no idea if his prayers were heard, but he had to cling onto the one thing he had left - hope. It was the only thing that could save Jewel, if the kids didn't come back sooner.

Blu's heart sank, remembering how much he missed them. He loved Bia, Carla and Tiago beyond compare, but losing Jewel... Blu shook his head to himself, not wanting to think about it. He had been having these nightmares for days - dreaming of Jewel dying, and him not being able to reach her in time. There were times where they were running toward one another, but she collapsed and died millimetres from reaching him. That was probably the worst one, but the nightmare he just had wasn't far behind.

He stumbled out of the room, onto the nest entrance, squinting as the sun poured into his eyes. He spotted a friend of theirs, Manuela, the mother of Carla's ex-boyfriend, Augustus. "Manuela! Would you mind keeping an eye on Jewel, for five minutes?" Thankfully, Manuela nodded, flying past him and disappearing into the nest. Blu waited until his dream had fully faded, before flying for Eduardo's tree. While he didn't feel as terrible as he had a few minutes ago, the fear for Jewel's health still remained.

_Meanwhile_

It had been almost a day since they had began gravitating up the mountain, the one Tiago, Orchid and Azure were certain they had seen the blue light. The sky was liquid gold from the setting sun, and the forest view from above was incredible - a mottled green blanket, spreading as far as the eye could see, broken only by a glimmer of the Peruvian Amazon river. Flecks of colour, of birds, were moving below, like tiny insects. The mountain base had been as tropical as the jungle below, but soon, it had turned to flat grassland. They had searched the grasses, but Orchid and Tiago were positive that the blue light had been further up, around the rockier area.

Occasionally, they would stop to eat, before resuming their expedition. Bruno had offered to carry their food supply; some strawberry guavas, and some kinds of nuts, all neatly wrapped in an exceptionally large leaf. Shared between them, they had a few days worth of food, but then what? Would they have to keep flying back to the jungle to refill their supply? Or salvage what they could from the sparse hills, where pickings were slim? They were macaws; they didn't belong in the mountains. None of the plants were suitable for their diets. Without Bia's knowledge, they were helpless and guessing over what they could eat.

Bia was still awake, but her fever was only getting worse, and Bruno hadn't known any infection-beating plants. He knew some that tackled the symptoms, rather like pain-killers, but they hadn't been able to find any. All the while, Azure had carried her, despite the strain and humidity. Her wings and head were hanging down, and she felt limp in Azure's talons. The thoughts racing through his mind were implanting terrible scenarios - Bia dying of infection, and him going insane because of it. Azure was petrified of what could happen, and he knew that Blu was probably feeling the same way, about losing Jewel.

Azure, carrying Bia, flew in the middle. Carla and Bruno brought up the rear, while Orchid and Tiago flew in the front, looking hard to find what they desperately needed. Below, ground animals were looking up, berry-bright eyes filled with curiosity. They were probably wondering what six colourful birds were doing here - they were probably the first ever macaw visitors in a while, if ever. There were few birds up here, although they had seen a Mountain Caracara once or twice. Luckily, it had ignored them, flying on without causing them any trouble.

Now, the grassland below had faded to scrub, and, not far ahead, lay a more rocky stretch of land. The mountain, being as low as it was, lacked snow. Behind it, giants stood, their tops capped with white; this smaller mountain wasn't tall enough to entirely escape the high temperature, although it did feel significantly cooler.

"Hold it." Tiago said, and they slowed to a hover. He was looking up and down the mountain, and then back to the forest, measuring the distance, thinking. "Maybe we should stop and poke around this area."

"Yeah, this looks like the area..." Orchid was nodding, and, before they could stop her, Orchid was making a bee-line for some nearby rocks. Tiago rolled his eyes, following her.

"Stay together!" Carla shouted, stiffening when her voice echoed. "And come back to this bush, if you have no luck!" She pointed down to an unusual-looking bush below, the only one that was growing in sight. She turned to Azure and Bia. "Azure, stay with Bia by this bush. Don't leave her on her own." Carla instructed, before turning to Bruno. "Come on, let's check out those cliff faces, up there." Bruno nodded, before placing the leaf bundle down beside the bush, opening it. A few strawberry guavas rolled out, and Bruno quickly caught them before they went bouncing down the mountain side. He held up a few leaves.

"Okay, you'll have to chew the leaves and then use a leaf or feather to apply it to her wound. It'll ease the pain, and I should warn you, it might sting a little." He informed Azure. He stole a glance at Bia's wound, wincing as he did, seeing it's state. "The infection... It's..." He shifted with discomfort, before turning and hastily following Carla. Azure sighed, pushing a wing through his dense head feathers, before sitting down beside Bia, who was lying there, shivering again. He knew what Bruno would've said.

Seeing the girl he loved in agony was breaking his heart. Bia was constantly sweating hot and cold, her damp feathers plastered to her skin, and her breathing was heavy and laboured. And the wound was terrible - the shade kept shifting from violent red to a sickly greenish, and it kept leaking a white, yellowish fluid. It made him feel sick, looking at it, and he couldn't imagine how Bia felt about it. She had that vile wound on her chest, and it was giving off the sour scent of infected flesh.

Azure, desperate to ease her pain, picked up the leaves Bruno had given him. The surface was smooth, shiny, and olive-green, and he didn't recognize it. He had to thank Bruno at some point, for caring for Bia. Azure began chewing the leaves, like his friend had said, until it had formed a paste. Spitting it out, wincing at the sharp taste, Azure plucked one of his feathers. Plucking feathers did hurt - but the leaves of this scraggly bush wouldn't be much good. Gently, he touched Bia's shoulder, and her eyes slid open. "Hey... I'm going to have to put this on your wound. Bruno said it might sting a little." Bia nodded slowly to show she understood, before turning to him, so that he could see her wound. Azure tried not to wince at the sight of it now - red, dried bubbles of blood, and that filmy cream-coloured substance. It claimed most of Bia's chest, three ragged clawmarks, with the tiny glisten of visible bone.

"Bad, isn't it?" Murmured Bia. Azure couldn't bring himself to reply, so he didn't. He picked up the plucked feather, dipping it into the leaf pulp, before focusing on applying it. The moment his feather brushed onto her wound, Bia drew in a sharp breath, gritting her beak as it stung. "Ouch." She muttered.

"I'm sorry." Azure apologized, trying to rub the leaf into the raw flesh without hurting her. Bia nodded again, her beak still clenched. She was squeezing a pebble in her talons, probably to help get through the pain. Finally, the last of the leaf was gone, and the wound looked less dry and angry. Azure exhaled, tossing his plucked feather to the side, where it was caught by a sudden wind. The feather was carried into the air, spinning and dancing until it floated out of sight. He looked at Bia, where her eyes were now closed. "You've been so brave, you know." Azure said, softly, sitting down beside her.

"Me?" Bia asked, shaking her head. "I have not been brave, Azure."

"You have, trust me."

"Yeah - brave is freezing in the path of a Harpy eagle." She sighed, her head falling back against his shoulder. Azure wanted to tell her otherwise, but he knew it was pointless. Bia never saw her own bravery. "I need a distraction." Bia said, unexpectedly. "Where's the bag?" Azure remembered that Carla had had the bag; looking around, he noticed it lying beside the food-carrying leaf. He wrapped his talons around it, before dropping it in front of Bia. She struggled to extract something, before Azure pulled out the map for her. He unfolded the atlas pages, holding it in front of Bia. She reached forward, her wing shaking a little with effort. Her wingtip rested on the very edge of the start of the mountain. "We must be right here." She determined, before falling back, exhaling with relief. "That's better. My brain's felt so empty."

Bia's face became more serene, although the look of pain still lingered. Azure wished that he could take her pain away - if he could, he would take that wound and put it in his own skin, so that he was suffering, not Bia. Bia then leaned against him, eyes shut, the sun illuminating her face. Azure turned his own face to the golden orb in the sky, eyes also closed, feeling it's warmth seeping into his skin. If it weren't for Bia's wound, this would be an extremely romantic moment. "Azure? Could you... sing to me, please?" Bia asked, sounding shy.

"You try and stop me. I'll sing you that new song Carla heard." Azure began singing quietly, and he felt Bia relax. "You're the night, you're the light, you're the colour of my blood..."

Meanwhile, Tiago and Orchid had travelled further up the mountain, past the cliff faces Carla and Bruno had been searching. Tiago wrapped his wings around himself, rubbing his feathers, as a cold wind blew. "Brr. I never thought I'd ever feel this cold, other than the time... Did I tell you about the time in Rio, when I was really little?"

"No," Orchid shook her head, scrambling up some rocks. "What happened?" She found herself smiling, knowing that it would be a funny story.

"Well, you know those three humans, who helped you after the fire? Linda, Tulio, Fernando? We went into their house for the first time, when we first learned to fly. Mom and Dad were telling Bia and Carla about some picture, and then Fernando opened the refrigerator -"

"The what?"

"Oh, sorry - It's box, basically, and it's really cold inside. They use it to keep food fresh. Anyway, Fernando left it open by accident, and I thought it would be funny to hide inside and close the door... unfortunately, I didn't realize how cold it was. I was freezing in there for around five minutes, until Dad heard me shouting in it." Tiago grinned when Orchid let out her usual musical laughter.

"You really are an idiot, some times." She carried on laughing, giving him a playful shove. Forgetting their objective, Tiago sprang at Orchid, and she leapt up to meet him, and they began play-fighting on the rocks. "You are so dead!" Orchid giggled, as they rolled across the rock ledges. But then Tiago felt the stone beneath him vanish, and he was plummeting into the dark. He landed hard on a cool, rock surface, gasping as it made his bones jolt. Orchid gasped, as he vanished out of sight, into a dark hole. "Tiago! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" She leaned over the rock ledge, squinting to see him in the dark, feeling anxious.

"I'm fine! Just a nasty bump, that's all..." Orchid felt relieved when she heard his voice, and she placed her wing over her heart, something she did whenever she was relieved.

"Thank goodness. Anyway, what's down there?" Her reply was silence. Orchid squinted again, seeing him at last - Tiago was staring at something. "T? You alright?"

"Orchid? You might want to get the others." Tiago sounded awe-struck. "This tunnel... there's ice down here."

"What?" She blinked. "Ice? It's cold, but not that cold, Tiago..." a wave of understanding washed over Orchid, and she gasped, remembering the legend. Ice was key. She stared into the hole in the rock face, eyes enormous. "Tiago?"

"Orchid? Get the others, a-s-a-p. You've got to see this!" Tiago shot out of the hole like a rocket, throwing his wings around Orchid, in pure delight. His eyes were sparkling properly, for the first time since Jewel had been diagnosed. He planted a kiss on her cheek. "Actually, you wait here, I'll get them!" He rushed down the mountain side, shrieking with excitement, calling for the others, leaving Orchid standing on the edge of the black hole. She couldn't react - she was stunned beyond belief. They had actually found it.

Then she was breathtaken, hearing it - voices. Musical voices, unfamiliar to her, but they held no malice. They were warm, welcoming, and she was itching to go into the tunnel, to find what lay within. She poked her talon down, feeling a fresh coolness. It wasn't cold enough to keep the ice frozen, but then, the ice had been here for hundreds of years. There was clearly something strange at work here. She looked over her shoulder, impatient, waiting for them.

Orchid had no idea what it would feel or look like, after venturing down this tunnel, but she knew exactly what they would find. She and Tiago had stumbled upon something magical - it felt like knocking on heaven's door. Daunting, but at the same time, she knew everything would be alright. They had finally found what they were looking for.


	32. A touch of magic

Azure, Carla and Bruno stood at the edge of the black hole, stunned, unable to absorb the information into their brains. Bia, oblivious and asleep in her feverish state, was now curled up in Azure's wings, burrowed into his chest. Orchid and Tiago, incredibly proud of their discovery, were both bouncing on the spot, desperate to get down there. Azure looked down at Bia - he didn't want to wake her, but she would have to see this. "Bia, you might want to wake up now." He suggested, giving her a small shake. Bia opened her eyes, blinking, looking around.

"Where are we?" She mumbled, in a daze.

"We found it, Bia." Carla replied, in total awe. "Well - Tiachid found it. Seriously, Tiago, could you not come screaming down the mountain next time? You gave us the fright of our lives!"

"Come on, sis, this isn't the time to be complaining! What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Tiago leapt down into the hole, and he was quickly followed by Orchid. "There's ice down here, so be careful!"

"Ice?" Bruno repeated, staring into the darkness, eyes flooding with fascination. "Really?"

"Like Tiago said, Bruno - what _are_ we waiting for?" Carla, all complaining gone, leapt into the hole in the cliff face, seizing Bruno's wing as she passed, so that he was pulled in with her. Azure and Bia remained, and were now standing on the ledge, alone. Bia, now realizing the reality of where they were, was wide awake, staring with Azure, into the blackness.

"I don't believe it." She murmured.

"Azia! Come on, we're waiting!" Shouted Orchid's excited voice, from inside. Azure looked down at Bia.

"Ready to see a legend come to life?" He asked. Bia gave him a slow nod, before Azure stepped forwards. There was a sheer drop below, of around three foot. Now he had a problem - he couldn't jump all the way down without possibly hurting himself or Bia. "Guys, I'll need you all to catch Bia." There was a scuttling of talons beneath.

"Azure, trust me, I'll be fine - woah!" Bia sqeauled sharply as Azure dropped her, and let her fall; she plummeted, but to her relief, she landed on something soft. A landing pad, constructed from four pairs of wings. "Thank you." She breathed, before flinching as something brushed her wound. Behind them, Azure lighted down on the rock floor, shaking his feathers. Bia rose from her friends' wings, staggering slightly as her feet touched the ground. Azure was quickly there to catch her, and she quickly regained her footing. "Thanks, guys." She sighed.

"You're welcome." Azure murmured, before scooping her up again. He nodded to the others, indicating that they go first. The others turned, exchanging glances as they saw the tunnel ahead. As the four began walking, Bia slid from Azure's wings. "Are you sure -" he began, but Bia nodded.

"I'm fine to walk... I'll just need a bit of help." Bia put one wing around his neck, and another on his shoulder, so that she walk beside him supported. Putting a wing around her to help her walk, Azure and Bia began following Tiago, Orchid, Carla, and Bruno. Then they saw it - a glistening, sparkling surface, coating the walls - none other than ice. The Amazon-born birds, having never seen ice, were most fascinated, but the city-born siblings were also intrigued. Ice, in a hot country. And this ice was different from the norm; it was so sparkly, hinted with an incredible blue - it was as though it were also containing stardust. The end of the tunnel was casted by a blue glow. Bia stopped beside the wall, running a wing across it, like her companions were doing. The ice was cold to touch, but the air around them was pleasantly cool.

"Okay, guys... I think we need to see whatever's in there." Said Carla, finally retracting her wing from the icy wall, looking at the end of the tunnel. She took the lead, heading down toward it, and the others soon followed. Bia and Azure heard the gasps of astonishment ahead, as the other four vanished into the gap. They looked at one another.

"Ready?" Azure asked.

"Absolutely not." Bia replied. Together, they stepped forwards, into the chamber, but froze in their tracks as they saw the sight before them. Orchid was turning slowly in a circle, trying to take it all in. Tiago was walking around, head tilted up, to see everything. Carla was leaning on a rock, staring upwards, while Bruno was simply too awe-struck to move, like Azure. Azure's beak hung open, and Bia's wings lay limply at her sides.

"Wow." Azure breathed. The walls and ceiling were dancing with the reflected light off the water, the light coming from glowing things - flowers, and white, glowing things floating through the air. One floated past Carla, and her immediate reaction was to swat it; but Bruno took her shoulders, stopping her, and the floating creature landed gently on her outstretched wing. Carla stared at the tiny creature, where, through the glowing, there were four transparent wings, looking like that of a dragonfly's. All eyes were fixated on the little thing; finally, it left Carla's wing, floating upwards. There was nothing sinister about it - it was a little beauty, only one of dozens floating around.

"What..." Orchid whispered, watching it go. "What is that?"

"Maybe they're extraterrestrials..." Bia said. The others turned, looking baffled. "Sorry - life that isn't from our own planet... since this all came from a comet -" Suddenly, a shot of pain tore through her chest, and she gasped, slipping and staggering. Azure rushed to pick her up, looking around - then his eyes rested on a group of flowers. The group looked at each other, before they drew together, gathering at the flowers closest to Bia and Azure.

The flowers - the Estrellas, or Estrelli, as that made more sense for a group of them - were unlike any flowers the group had ever seen. Their roots originated in the water pools - glowing and pale cyan. Then, just before the roots broke the surface, they began a stem. The stem was thin, and it was shaped like a lock of curled, human hair - more dim than the petals. The stem shape was positively bizarre - few flower stems were of such shape. Before the petals began, around ten dark, greyish-green leaves fanned out, oval shaped with a sharpened tip. Sprouting between the leaves were five, large petals - teardrop shaped, and once again, a beautiful, luminous blue. Even bluer than the sky, bluer than their feathers; and casting a glow. The Estrelli were all perfectly identical, varying in height but never growing taller than any of them, although there were a few that stretched higher than the petite Bia.

Azure crouched down, holding Bia up, while Orchid approached the flowers. She stood before one, her talons running over the curled stem. She looked at the others with wide eyes, and Tiago gave her a nod of encouragement. While the others held their breath, Orchid then closed her talons around it, and broke the stalk. The glow of the flower did not subdue - if anything, it grew brighter. Carla, Tiago and Bruno moved aside, as Orchid crouched at Bia's side, handing it to her. Bia took the shining thing in her claws, the bright petals reflected in her hazel eyes. She could barely breathe, still wondering whether all this was real. The voices that whispered in the cave grew quieter. With a moment of hesitation, Bia finally plucked off the five petals - and her beak closed on them.

Then the others gasped, eyes widening simultaneously. Azure stared down, unable to take his eyes off Bia - he tried not to blink, not wanting to miss a second of it. As the petals vanished down Bia's throat, something strange happened. Starting from the outer edge, the infected, vile wound began to shrink. The edges were receeding, creeping back toward the middle, before they sealed completely without leaving a mark. The only thing left was Bia's skin - not shiny like scar tissue, but fresh and even in tone. The dried blood and the bruising was no more, and the infected wound was completely gone.

"What the..." Bruno was first to speak. His eyes were wide with amazement, mirroring that of Carla, Tiago, Azure, and Orchid. Bia slowly opened her eyes, unable to look down - but, eventually, she had to. Wriggling free of Azure's wings, she walked - not stumbled - toward the water, and looked down. She gasped at the sight of her torso, which was now completely free of wound. Bia wouldn't be scarred - the feathers would regrow in time, and she could see the tiny barbs in her skin that marked the feather beds. She'd have three claw-shaped bald patches in her skin, but the feathers would grow back in time. She ran her wingtips through her head feathers, tears springing to her eyes. Then, as she looked at her eyes, she frowned.

"What is it, Bia?" Tiago asked, seeing the look on Bia's face.

"Look at this." Bia said, turning, her wingtip hovering over her left iris. The others had to peer closely at her face to see it - then, finally, they spotted it. A tiny fleck of electric blue, not incredibly visible, but still, it was there in the hazel iris. It was probably only three millimetres in length. Azure stepped forward, raising his wings to touch Bia's face.

"We're a match now." He remarked, and Bia was reminded of the little amber fleck in Azure's blue iris. His amber fleck was much larger and more prominent than the new blue in Bia's left eye. For the first time in days, happiness sparked into his eyes. Bia smiled back, before she threw her wings around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. Azure's wings went around her, and they remained there for several moments.

"Where's my hug, sis?" Carla asked, teasingly. After much laughter and hugs from her two siblings and closest friends, Azure took her shoulder, with sparkling eyes yet again.

"How do you feel, Bia?" He asked. Bia looked up at him, before she surprised him with a kiss. The others all giggled in amusement and embarrassment, looking away and rolling their eyes.

"Absolutely brilliant." Bia was filled with energy. The glowing miracle must have boosted her health levels to maximum, while it had healed her injury. She spun round, picking up the rest of the flower, grinning. "Let's get cracking." Bia had never felt happier or energized. She felt ready for anything.

"Let's go!" Orchid exclaimed, leaping to her feet. Within moments, another flower was tucked into the bag. Finally, they were done, and gathered at the exit. The six stood there for one final time, eyes on the magical cave once more. Hopefully they wouldn't be the only visitors - another group like themselves could come along, with a similar goal in mind. Another lucky individual could have a second chance at life. Maybe they weren't the first, as there were a few broken stalks.

Bia felt a warm wing on her shoulder, before realizing she was the last one in the cave. Azure stood with her, with a warm smile. "Come on, Beatriz. Let's go home."

_A day later_

The Spix's macaws and their Red and Green-Winged guests were uneasy. An air of tension hung over the ravine like a cloud, and the family of Sophia were especially in despair. Three days had passed since their plan had been established, since Mina had left the ravine with the promise of coming back within a day with news of Sophia. But it had been over three days, and the family was out of their mind. What if Mina had been found out? If that was true, there was no way Sophia would be rescued, and that idea was driving Roberto to the point of madness. His beautiful, clever, brave mate - gone forever, and he wouldn't be able to say goodbye. Roberto hadn't uttered a word since the official plan had been declared, and now he spent the majority of the day pacing, muttering to himself, watching the ravine entrance with desperate eyes. Meanwhile, Bromeliad and Isaac's friends were doing their best to distract them from the horrific idea of what Sophia was going through. Half of their family was gone. First it had been Azure and Orchid, and now it was Sophia.

A few dozen macaws, a mixture of Spix's, Red and Green-Winged, were prepared and ready to go. The stroke of genius from Isaac's disguise had proved valuable, since a group of disguised macaws looked unbelievably convincing. Isaac and Bromeliad had wanted to go, but Roberto had forbade them, even enlisting Bruno's parents to keep an eye on them. Isabella and Tobias, happily distracted from their son's absence, were now watching the pair like hawks, not allowing them to sneak away from the ravine. Tobias, who had been severely injured in the skirmish that had killed Catia, had been released from The Spix's Wing a few days ago, and his return had deepened the mistrust of Mina to the other macaws.

As the evening approached, the sun starting to sink, gossip on Mina's absence took place. Many had speculated that Mina was a traitor afterall - and many tribe members believed it. What if Mina was a spy? And this was a trap? Some were considering fleeing to the Blue-and-Gold tribe for refuge, despite Eduardo's commands to remain calm and show the Hyacinths that they weren't afraid. But Mimi was suggesting a much probable scenario - that Mina was simply too occupied to visit unnoticed. Of course that was possible, since Mina was the daughter of the matriarch, in a busy tribe like the Hyacinths. Despite how strained the relationship between Mina and Kerja sounded, Mina had to be involved in Hyacinth business, surely.

But then, finally, a navy shape darted from the waterfall cave, out of breath and looking deeply troubled. Over three days late, she was here at long last - and the look on her face intensified the tension in the ravine. "Eduardo!" She panted, struggling to breathe. The leader emerged from his nest, followed by Mimi, Felipe, Azalea, and several other macaws. "I'm so sorry I'm late -"

"Late? You call three whole days late?" Muttered a Green-Winged macaw, sourly. Mina gave the macaw a frustrated look.

"I would've come back sooner. But Kerja has been watching me almost twenty-four-seven. She knows something's amiss - she's suspicious. I couldn't sneak off. I'll explain everything in a minute - meanwhile, I need to hear this plan and you've all got to prepare. We've got to go!" Mina looked around for Roberto, Isaac, and Bromeliad; she needn't search for long, as the family had already landed in the branch.

"Now?" Felipe asked, in surprise, looking startled.

"Yes, now! You've got to get Sophia out as soon as possible!" Mina replied. Roberto shoved to the front, eyes wide.

"Is she alright?" He demanded, desperation and pleading filling his eyes. Mina turned to him, with a sombre look.

"No. She's not. She's alive, but I only just got a glimpse of her state. She needs rescuing, now, and Kerja's deciding what to do with her." Silence fell upon them all. It took a few moments for them to absorb the information, before, finally, Eduardo and Felipe began barking orders, to their tribe members who had volunteered to go on the mission.

"Everybody who's going, start disguising yourselves!" Eduardo commanded. "Swiftly! Mina, Mimi will explain the plan." he turned to the others. "Get ready to liberate our tribe mate!" Meanwhile, Roberto, Isaac and Bromeliad hadn't moved, as other macaws began rushing to find the dark blue and the yellow flowers.

"Dad, what did she mean, Mom's state?" Bromeliad asked, sounding like a young child. Roberto didn't reply. He was shaking slightly. Bromeliad began trembling, and she began sinking to the ground. Isaac wrapped his wings around his sister, trying to be comforting, but underneath his exterior, he was terrified as well. He looked up at their father, trying to prevent the tears.

"Dad, you need to get your disguise ready. You need to go and get Mom."


	33. Fallen earth

The Hyacinth territory was even more barren then the rescue party had expected. Mina had described it to them, at how much of it was half-dead - and it was absolutely true. Most leaves lacked the healthy, rich green of the outside land - most of them were pale or withering, with more insect bite marks taken out, more commonly than in the Spix's, Red or Blue-and-Gold territory. There was definitely something sinister about the plantlife and wildlife. There were practically no birds, other than Hyacinths. There were, however, predators and dangerous animals. Large, poisonous spiders and amphibians, and the roar of a jaguar from somewhere in the trees. Night had fallen in the Amazon; the moon was half-full, and the stars were barely visible.

Roberto followed Mina, his heart thumping in his chest. Around and behind him, around a dozen macaws, a mixture of Spix's, Scarlet, and Green-Winged, were looking around, cautiously. Despite their very convincing disguises, they were all suspicious - none of them were as tall or heavily built as their neighbours. From a distance they could pass for teenaged Hyacinths, but up close, their true ages were clear. Mina's condition was rare, so the idea that they _all_ had the same issue was dubious. They would have to avoid being seen at all costs. Roberto himself was also a problem - Kerja knew exactly what he looked like, regardless of the disguise. So, as uncomfortable as it was, Roberto had pulled his crest feathers back and tied them with a stalk. He looked odd with them tied back, and it was severely uncomfortable, but he looked much different.

"Stop." Mina whispered; they halted, landing on a leaf-ladden branch, and peering out at the cave. A giant black hole appeared in a sudden rock cliff, around ten foot wide, and eight foot tall, with jagged edges, making it look as though the cave was a mouth full of teeth. Stood on rock ledges around the cave mouth, four large, burly Hyacinths stood, guarding the entrance. They looked weary, and all four held weapons. "This is it." Mina glanced at a young Scarlet female, Delores, her species hidden under the blue and yellow flower paint. Delores nodded, before letting out a bizarre call; it wasn't birdlike at all, but sounded like a kind of non-avian call.

After a few moments, the same sound was repeated several times along the tree line before the cave. Suddenly, as they craned their necks, they saw it. Several bright flashes of amber light, waving back and forth within the tree line, some distances apart. Some blinked out, only for others to spring up along the treeline. The group suddenly began skimming the trees, remaining hidden but heading for the rock face. They all pressed themselves against the rock walls, a few feet from the cave edge, watching to see if Johanna's idea of fire distractions had worked.

Johanna's idea had proved a good one, as, upon seeing the bizarre lights in the trees, the four Hyacinths leapt to their talons, squawking into the cave. Within seconds, dozens of Hyacinths were flooding from the gap, muttering in speculation and unease - they could slip in. "Go!" Mina whispered. She slunk along the wall, concealed by shadow, before vanishing into the cave. Roberto looked at his companions. "Okay. Remember: I go with Mina to get Sophia, and you guys go down to the weaponry cave. Dispose of them via the underground stream, and then we'll meet up at the passage outside the individual tunnels we need." The group all nodded to show they understood, before Roberto turned. Inhaling, he followed Mina into the cave.

They walked on the ground, keeping to the shadows on the walls, keeping silent. Roberto whispered to Mina. "Where's Kerja?" He hissed, feeling a flash of anger at the matriarch's name. Mina looked back at him, shaking her head to show that she didn't know, but she looked uneasy. Kerja could be anywhere, and she knew every face in her tribe. Seeing these strangers would make her realize that something was going on. The cave was far from empty - dozens of Hyacinths swarmed around them, deep in conversation about battle moves, oblivious to the intruders hiding in plain sight.

So preoccupied with listening in, Roberto then crashed into something, and gasped, staggering back. He looked up, with enormous blue eyes. The group behind him froze in the shadows, hoping to remain unnoticed. A large male Hyacinth with greying feathers narrowed his eyes down at Roberto. Long scars marked his throat, and his voice was cold and hostile. "Woah. Watch your step there."

"Uh... yeah. Sorry, buddy." Roberto muttered, trying to move around him - only to be blocked by a large wing. He looked up, praying that none of his body paint had smudged. It would all be over. He gave the older macaw a weak smile, gulping, as he noticed how suspicious the macaw looked.

"Who are you?" Asked the male, suspiciously.

"I..." Roberto stammered, but, fortunately, Mina came to his rescue. She rushed forward, with a convincing smile.

"Lorenzo, this is... uh, a new recruit. Came from one of the outsider families." She lied, quickly. Lorenzo squinted down at Mina and Roberto, and, for a moment, they didn't think he believed them. Then he grumbled.

"Outsider family, eh? He's a bit small, if you ask me... but I guess it's one more soldier." Lorenzo then trudged away, muttering to himself about a sore back. Roberto sighed, rolling his eyes and looking at his companions.

"That was really close." Muttered Carlos.

"Come on. The sooner we get this over with, the better." Said a Green-Winged macaw, eyes flickering around with nervousness. Having recovered from the close encounter, the group resuming heading for the tunnels; but Lorenzo looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowing once again. The greying macaw muttered, before shoving through the crowd.

Roberto's heart was beating rapidly with trepidation; his kids would never forgive him, if he failed in this mission. And he knew losing Sophia, the one female he had ever loved, would break his heart. And Mina had refused to tell him about 'her state'; what was that supposed to mean?

The tunnels were a small hole in the wall, and once inside, the tunnels were around a metre high and four feet in width. It would've been pitch black, had it not been for several human lamps every couple of metres. The lamps had red lights - when they casted light on the walls, it looked as though the stone was washed with blood. Then the passage split, heading into three directions. There had been others like this along the passage behind, but not as large. The group slowed to a halt. Mina turned around, facing them all, indicating to the middle tunnel. "The weapons room is this way. It will be empty at this time of night. Once you're in, stay quiet and dispose of the weapons in the stream. Once you're done, we'll meet back here."

"Where does that tunnel go?" Asked Antonio, motioning toward the one on the far right. This tunnel looked different to the other two; unlike the other two, this one was made in earth, rather than rock.

"That's the Forbidden Tunnel." Mina informed, darkly. She looked uneasy saying it. "The Forbidden Tunnel is made mostly from soil and individual stones, unlike the others, which are solid rock. Over the years, the soil has grown more and more unstable - they've had to use sticks to stop a collapse, but even those are frail after years of not being replaced. They'll break easily - just breaking one will make the entire tunnel collapse. The tunnel leads to the outside, but that tunnel... It's incredibly dangerous." The tunnel looked as sinister as Mina made it sound. The sticks that Mina described were in poor condition, splintering and notched, and they looked so fragile.

Roberto felt a shiver run down his spine, but what he heard next made his blood freeze. A blood-curdling scream, echoing from the left tunnel. He knew that scream. Mina gasped, turning to the others. "Go, get rid of the weapons, and hurry!" She urged. The group hesitated for a moment, hearing the shriek; then they plunged into the weapons tunnel. Mina turned to face Roberto, but he was already gone, racing down the left tunnel.

Roberto began calling Sophia's name, but she didn't reply. She continued crying out, shrieking, and as the end of the tunnel grew nearer, Roberto heard the impact of a body upon stone. Behind him, Mina was close behind, trying to keep up. Finally, Roberto exploded into the stone chamber, breathing heavily. He was horrified. Sophia was crumpled on the stone floor, while a female Hyacinth towered over her, sneering. "Spix's macaws are strong, eh? We'll see about that when I break your bones."

"No you won't!" Roberto shouted. The female whirled round, eyes lighting up with surprise; but she didn't expect the intruder to move. Roberto flung himself at her, claws raking over her face. She cried out, staggering, and behind Roberto, Mina emerged. Seeing the fight, she gasped, looking around frantically. The orange rope the Hyacinths had used to tie Sophia's foot to the wall lay discarded. She seized it, rushing to the struggling Hyacinth.

"Roberto!" She exclaimed. "Shut her up!" Roberto's talons wrapped tightly around the female's beak, silencing her. She tried to reach up with her wing to push him away, but she couldn't move her wings. Mina had whipped around her tribemate, the rope wrapping around her, until she lost her balance - she toppled to the ground, giving Mina the opportunity to tie the rope into a double-knot. Her eyes blazed with shock as she looked up at Mina.

"You traitor!" She snarled; but before she could say anymore, her beak had been tied shut by another piece of the orange rope. Mina tied the end to the wall, glaring down at her tribe mate, not saying a word. Then she turned around to look at Roberto and Sophia.

Roberto spun round, eyes wide, as he looked at the limp pile of feathers on the ground before him. Upon seeing Mina and what looked like a Hyacinth, Sophia shrieked, leaping to her feet and frantically scrabbling backwards, until she was against the wall. "Don't touch me! Stay away!" She screeched. Roberto stared at Sophia, horrified by what he saw. She was unrecognizable.

Half of Sophia's feathers were stained with dark red, and half the feathers from her right wing were missing. Several too were missing from her body - on the exposed skin, dark bruises bloomed, mottled and grey. Cuts marked her body, noticeably her front and face - and some of her feathers, for some reason, were black. They were the same black Roberto had seen on burned feathers, like those of Azure, when he had narrowly escaped the fire with Bia. Sophia looked gaunt, her ribs starting to show, and dirt coated the majority of her feathers. But what was most shocking was her eyes. The dark blue irises were filled with an unspeakable terror, something Roberto had never seen on Sophia. They were wild, and darting around as though she couldn't control them. Sophia continued shrieking, as if driven insane. "Go away! Get away!" She turned to bolt for the exit, but Roberto intercepted - they crashed to the ground, but Sophia still failed to recognize him. She struggled violently, trying to claw and bite, not recognizing him in her frenzy - Roberto yelped as one of her talons made contact with his shoulder.

"It's _me!" _Roberto exclaimed, shocked. Frantically, he reached up behind his head, yanking the stalk, freeing his crest feathers. They flew forward, cloaking his face, and he swiftly brushed them out of his eyes. Maybe now she would recognize him under the paint. Upon seeing this, Sophia slowed down, until she froze. She stared up at him in silence. Roberto stared back, pleadingly, praying that she would recognize him. Sophia was silent for a few moments. Then she reached up slowly to touch Roberto's face. Her wing tip came away, covered in dark blue and yellow. Then she began trembling. She knew it was him.

"Roberto?" She whispered, in a shaking voice, in disbelief. Roberto slowly nodded. Then tears flooded Sophia's eyes. She then began weeping, tears streaming down her face. She threw her wings around his neck, sobbing, while Roberto's own eyes turned shiny with tears. The moment was then broken, by a commotion outside. Mina looked up, eyes widening. She looked at Roberto and Sophia, leaping to her feet. A proper reunion would have to wait.

"We've got to go!" She exclaimed. Roberto finally let go of Sophia, before wrapping his talons around her. Sophia looked as though she were about to faint; she had barely acknowledged the fact that Mina was a Hyacinth. Roberto and Mina, with Sophia in the former's talons, raced down the tunnel, hearing the voices up ahead. As they emerged from the tunnel, they halted. The group was gone - but when they looked down the Forbidden Tunnel, they saw the group, half way down there. The group was shouting at them to follow them. Then they knew why. Roberto shoved Sophia behind him, as they came face-to-face with Kerja and five other Hyacinths. Sophia began shaking in terror. At first, they had no idea how it happened. Then they remembered the elderly macaw, Lorenzo.

"Are we interrupting?" Kerja asked, in a sickly sweet voice. She had a look of thunder on her face, and her knife was raised. The other five were staring at the three, shocked and enraged. Kerja's eyes were grey flames. "Mina. I should have known that it was you, all along." The five Hyacinths, one of whom was Beryl, were all glaring at Mina, with fierce rage. Kerja's eyes blazed once again, and spittle flew as she shouted at Mina. Mina hadn't moved, her expression unreadable. "I will give you one last chance to tell me why you betrayed us. I -" but Mina didn't allow her to finish. She was shaking with fury, and everything that she had bottled up was coming out. She had been afraid for far too long - now that she had no place in the tribe, she may as well let it all out.

"You want to know why?" Mina asked, her eyes blazing with a fury Roberto had never seen. She leapt forward, glowering up at her mother, inches from her face. "Because you're barbaric! I can't stand you, and I know you can't stand me!" Kerja's face flooded with shock at Mina's outburst, and she actually took a step back. "From the moment I was born, I had no choice but to trust you. But you don't have a _shred_ of love for me!" Mina then stepped away. "You know, I'm glad Dad left the tribe when I was a kid, to join that family. He would've been _ashamed!"_

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Kerja screeched; but then Mina reached up without thinking. Kerja gasped, stumbling, wings covering her face. Blood seeped through the feathers, and, for a moment, the five Hyacinths forgot Roberto, Sophia, and Mina. Mina whirled round, shoving them both. This was their only chance.

"Go, go!" She cried. Roberto didn't hesitate. With Sophia clutched in his talons, Roberto rushed into the Forbidden Tunnel, Mina right behind them.

"Seize them!" Kerja commanded, with an ear-splitting shriek, the blood from Mina's attack flying. Beryl and the other Hyacinths plunged into the tunnel, flying faster than the smaller birds could. They were cackling.

"We got you now, flithy little traitor!" Beryl sneered, in triumph. Then she began laughing along with her other tribe members - mechanical laughs that didn't sound real. The tunnel was very long - too long. Already, the space between Roberto, Sophia, Mina and the Hyacinths was getting smaller. Mina knew that Beryl and the others were flying too fast. Roberto and Sophia would never get out alive - once they were caught, they would be slaughtered. She had to do something - they had to get out, even if that meant she didn't. Mina slowed down, until she had stopped.

Roberto, meanwhile, realizing that Mina had stopped, whirled round. He stared at Mina in bewilderment, unable to leave her behind. "Are you out of your mind?!" He spluttered. "Why have you stopped? Come on, what are you waiting for? We've got to go!" Mina turned, her eyes on Sophia - after everything she had been through, Mina owed it to Sophia to prevent them being captured - no matter what Mina's cost. She looked back, where Beryl and the others were seconds away, where they would capture her. Likely torture her in front of the entire tribe. Mina then looked back at Roberto and Sophia, screaming in a strangled voice. It was too late now.

_"Run!" _Mina's voice echoed off the walls, piercing and desperate. Then she turned toward one of the fragile poles, the only things preventing the tunnel's collapse. Roberto realized what she was going to do.

"Mina, no!" He shouted. But he was too late. Mina's wings closed around the stick, and the moment they did, it snapped. The tunnel began shaking violently. He had no choice but to flee - the last he saw of Mina was a blur, vanishing as rocks and soil fell in her place. Roberto began flying for his - and Sophia's - lives. The soil behind him began crashing down, along with years' worth of dust. Beryl and the other Hyacinths began gasping and shouting, frantically shoving past one another in a frenzy to retreat, to get back to the stone part of the tunnel; Kerja was shrieking Mina's name.

Then he saw it ahead - light. The patrol stood there in the exit, shouting at him to fly faster - Roberto began coughing as dust filled his lungs, and so did Sophia. Then moonlight poured into his eyes. Roberto let go of Sophia, knowing he was going to crash-land. As she was caught by several wings, Roberto crashed onto the loose soil, rolling several times until he ceased to a stop. Spitting out dust, he looked up at the exit - it was now transformed, replaced by rock and soil. He felt a wave of horror, as the consequence of Mina's selfless decision dawned upon him.

Mina was gone.


	34. Blood and soil

Isaac and Bromeliad sat together in Tobias and Isabella's hollow; it seemed so empty, without Bruno. Bruno's nest, which was outside the hollow in some branches, had not been slept in for some time. The pair missed their friend, as well as the others. Carla, Tiago, Bia, and of course their brother and sister. Now, with Azure, Orchid and both parents gone, they felt more on edge and lonely than ever.

Roberto and the patrol had been gone for hours - they had left at sunset, but now it was past midnight. Tobias and Isabella had tried to convince them to sleep, as it would make them feel better, but they couldn't sleep. It was impossible. They weren't the only ones in the ravine struggling to drift off - Felipe and Azalea kept flying to and from the lookout at the ravine entrance to ask for signs, and many of their parents' friends were visible in their hollows, moving around, restless. Eduardo too was still outside his tree, watching the entrance. If it was true what Mina had said, that Sophia was being kept for infomation, Eduardo had to know what she had told them. The lives of everybody in the ravine could depend on it.

All kinds of thoughts were running through Isaac and Bromeliad's heads. They both had the image of their father returning in a state, without Sophia, to tell them that she was dead. Or worse, neither of them returned. They imagined the patrol returning without them, dragging Mina, claiming that she had betrayed them. All kinds of terrible possibilities, all making their hearts beat frantically fast. "Bromeliad..." Isaac said, quietly, so not to awaken Tobias and Isabella. "What if... what if they don't make it back? What will... what will we say to Azure and Orchid?"

As if time had waited for Isaac to ask, and wanted to put his mind to rest, there was a squawk from the entrance. Isaac and Bromeliad immediately sprang to their feet, feathers on end. Tobias and Isabella, who had been asleep a few feet away, jolted awake upon hearing the signal. The lookout had spotted the returning patrol. Bromeliad and Isaac barged out of the hollow, fighting to get out first. As they emerged, they witnessed what could have been the loudest possible cheering in the history of the ravine. It was ear-splitting, as was the immense applause. Macaws from the trees were pouring out like floodwater, screening the patrol from view of the two.

By the time Bromeliad and Isaac had shoved through the sea of flying macaws, they caught a glimpse of their parents on the ground, disappearing into their tree, while the rest of the patrol members received a hero's welcome. High-wings, claps on the shoulders, and other congratulating actions were had, but none of the patrol looked entirely proud or happy. They all wore exhausted and sombre looks. Bromeliad and Isaac then realized that they couldn't see Mina; but that would have to wait. They had to see their parents.

Bromeliad landed on the ground, running up to her home, her heart in her throat, while Isaac was likewise, a few feet behind. Bromeliad reached the entrance first, leaning on the wall, trying to catch her breath. Felipe was talking to her father in a concerned, hushed voice, and she was relieved to see that Robert looked relatively unharmed, except for a cut on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Sophia and Azalea were in the middle of a hug. Bromeliad stared in bewilderment, wondering if this was all real.

"Mom!" Bromeliad exclaimed. Sophia jumped, before whirling round. Bromeliad found her eyes flooding with tears.

"Bromeliad!" Sophia cried, and Bromeliad ran to her, into her wings. Bromeliad was shocked by her mother's appearance - even her hug didn't feel the same. Her right wing was missing half it's feathers, and her wings were placed lightly - as of it was painful for Sophia to hold her too tightly. But Bromeliad still felt as loved and safe as any other hug she had shared with her mother. Then there was the scuffling of frantic talons behind them, and then Isaac launched himself forward, desperate to reunite with his mother. Sophia released Bromeliad, before running up to Isaac, hugging him.

"Mom, are you, are you -" Isaac was stammering, unable to form proper words through his sobs. "Okay?" Sophia didn't reply, but her embrace was relieved and filled with love. Bromeliad, seeing that her mother and brother were in their embrace, then wrapped her wings around her father, who returned it. Bromeliad didn't care that she got smeared in dark blue paint - all that mattered was that her parents were both here, safe and alive.

"Dad, are you both okay? What happened in there? What happened -" Bromeliad had a million questions, but Roberto didn't answer. He looked too exhausted to reply, and he looked as though he were about to fall asleep on the spot. His Hyacinth disguise had run, the yellow staining his face like yellow tears. The dark blue had faded, revealing the lighter feathers beneath. Roberto then let her go, before turning around and practically falling into the pool of water in their hollow. At first, everyone was alarmed, but then he began to move, rubbing the paint from his feathers, staining the water a dark blue-green as the colours mixed. He then stepped out, soaked, his crest feathers like a sodden mop. He looked relieved to get rid of it; he pushed the wet feathers from his eyes, slumping down to a sitting position.

"Are you alright, mate?" Asked Felipe, in concern. Roberto looked up with fatigue and weariness.

"I'm fine... Sophia isn't." Roberto shook his head, and then flew for the tree entrance. "I'm getting Johanna -"

"No, don't... don't waste your time." Sophia began to insist, before her legs shook, and suddenly, she sank to the floor. Roberto leapt to his feet, and was at her side like lightning. "No, don't -" Sophia began. "Just..." she closed her eyes, voice dying away. She wasn't alright. Whatever the Hyacinths had done, it had been terrible.

"You need help." Azalea said, firmly. "If Johanna is preoccupied with Jewel, we'll get our own healer."

"Miguel?" Felipe asked. "You can't. He's... not in the best place right now, after what happened to Maite -"

"What about the Spix's wing?" Isaac interrupted, going to Sophia's side. "I mean... it's safe, even if she'll be away from us."

"Before she goes anywhere, we have to know what happened." Said a voice. Eduardo, in the hollow entrance, was standing there with a sombre expression. Mimi then ran into the tree, heading straight for Sophia.

"Oh, my dear - I'm so sorry!" Mimi exclaimed, looking appalled at the state of Sophia. Sophia only sighed, before falling to a sitting position. The family sat down - Roberto cloaked a wing around her, while Isaac held his mother's wings, Bromeliad at his side. Felipe and Azalea sat themselves down a few feet away, close to Eduardo and Mimi. This was a serious matter.

"I'm sorry for what's happened. But you have to tell us everything that they did. Bromeliad can't remember much, but Mina saved her life..." Eduardo's voice faded. "Where is she?" Sophia, not knowing or remembering Mina, looked at Roberto in puzzlement. He hung his head.

"She's dead, Eduardo." He said, flatly. His reaction was horrified silence. "She was there when I found you, Sophia... She was the small Hyacinth. Kerja's daughter, the one who saved Blu. She was helping us the entire time - it's because of her that we got in there in the first place, and now she's gone." He looked at his two mortified kids, and the others. Bromeliad especially was stunned - the macaw who had saved her life. Mina had been the only kindly Hyacinth she - and perhaps the entire tribe - had ever known. The news that she was dead was unbelievable. "She sacrificed herself. We were forced to flee down an unstable tunnel, barely supported by flimsy poles. She broke one, so that our pursuers couldn't reach us. There's no way she survived that."

"I don't believe it." Azalea said, in disbelief. "The kindest of macaws... they're always the ones... the ones who suffer most."

"Since there is no body... we must plant a remembrance flower." Mimi said, quietly. When there was no body to bury, a flower was planted instead. This was a rare thing - it had been the same thing used when Jewel was presumed dead as a child, most often used when the soul was stolen by a human or predatory animal. There were a couple of moments of silence. Feeling that it was appropriate to continue, Sophia prepared herself to tell Eduardo.

"After I was captured, I was taken into their cave, down their tunnels. I awoke in the darkness. Kerja was there the first time, the only time. They asked me about the ravine. It's layout. It's tribe members. I refused for the first three days... no matter what they did." Sophia looked as though she were about the cry. "Every day... they... they..." she couldn't say the dreaded words. She broke down, hugging her knees, head buried in her wings.

"No way." Felipe's wing clasped over his beak. "They couldn't have..." No one else said a word, so Sophia went on, not wanting to see their horrified faces. She looked up from her wings, not looking at any of them. She let her wings drop, so they could see the full extent of the damage. In the dark of the cave, it had looked bad, but now, in the light, it looked terrible. Her left eye was black, and more bruises and blood were clear to see. More feathers had clearly been ripped out.

"This..." Sophia pointed to her black, swollen left eye. "...I got yesterday. These other bruises..." She looked down her front. "They were done over the whole time. I got more in different places each day. They even plucked half my right wing feathers. And you see these black ones? They burnt them."

"Burnt them?" Azalea repeated, in a strangled voice.

"They would come by every day. They never gave me food, or water. They were attacking me..." Sophia rose, walking toward the pool of water, staring at her bedraggled reflection. "...until I passed out. The only way to get them to stop was to tell them something they wanted to know. I had to say something, otherwise they would've killed me." Sophia then turned, pushing back her neck feathers - the skin underneath was black. "This was the worst thing. They strangled me every day, repeatedly. They would wait until I was about to pass out before stopping, but when I recovered, they would do it again." As she said this, they realized how strained her voice sounded. She found it painful to speak. Sophia then began crying again, and Roberto ran to her, giving her a hug.

"They will never hurt you again." Roberto promised, a few tears beginning to stream. Sophia pressed herself against him, wings wrapped tightly. "Never. Over my dead body." Eduardo hadn't uttered a sound, but by the look on his face, Sophia knew he was asking the silent question. They had to know what she had told them.

"I'm sorry, Eduardo." She said, shaking her head. Roberto let her go, reaching up to hold her face.

"What... What did you tell them?" He asked, quietly.

"Everything." Sophia choked. "I told them how many there as of us. Which tree is who's. And... and... they asked about your family, Eduardo, Mimi. They made me tell them where Bia, Carla and Tiago went. They asked me about Blu and..." Sophia's voice faded. "I'm so sorry."

"What did you say?" Mimi asked, the colour drained from her face. They knew what Sophia was about to say before she even said it.

"I told them about Jewel." Sophia admitted, her face full of guilt and shame. "I'm sorry... I had no choice." Eduardo had rarely been one to share sympathy - and now, any sympathy he had was thrown out of the hollow. He sprang to his feet, breathing heavily, not thinking as he spoke.

"Do you even know what you've done?!" Eduardo demanded, furiously. His eyes blazed with pale green flame, and menace. He had forgotten what Sophia had been through. "They could stop the kids getting back! And if they don't come back in time, Jewel could die - because of you!"

"Eduardo!" Mimi gasped, horrified. "Don't say that!" Eduardo ignored her, glaring at Sophia, who shrunk in fear. Her eyes would have been filled with anger before, but now it was pure terror. Eduardo now bore a striking resemblance to the Hyacinths who had tortured her. Roberto leapt between them, crest feathers on end, letting out an infuriated squawk. For the first time, he was glaring at Eduardo, enraged. The crowd outside were eerily silent.

"Don't you dare blame Sophia!" He snapped, enraged. Eduardo glared back, and for a moment, it looked as though they were about to attack one another. Isaac, however, intervened, standing between his leader and his father.

"Stop fighting! Eduardo, this isn't my mother's fault!" Isaac declared, boldly, ignoring the look of surprise on his leader's face. He extended a wing toward Sophia. "Look at her! Do you think she would've told them unless she was desperate? She loves Jewel as much as we all do, but her situation... look, just don't take it out on her." Isaac had stunned them all - he had rendered Eduardo speechless. Eduardo looked at Roberto, and then Sophia. For a few moments, he hesitated, before he finally spoke.

"Forgive me." He said, before whirling around, and flying from the hollow. Mimi, shooting apologetic looks at them, tore after him. Sophia slumped to the ground, feeling worse than how she had in the caves. What she had done was unforgivable - what if the Hyacinths really did try and stop the kids coming back, from saving Jewel?

"What have I done?" She murmured to herself.

_Meanwhile_

Kerja stared at the wall of soil, frozen. Four of her fellow Hyacinths lay around her, gagging and spitting out beakfuls of dust and earth, their feathers caked in brown mud and dirt. There had been five initially, but one, a young male, had not returned. He had been so close - in fact, Kerja could see a wingtip poking from the soil, a few feet away from her. And she knew that Mina was gone. She hadn't moved as the soil and rocks had came crashing down, her wings firmly around the remainder of the pole. Kerja's emotions were frozen. She didn't know what to feel.

On her left, Beryl staggered to her feet, her final coughing fading. She turned to stand by Kerja - instead of offering words of comfort for the loss of her daughter, Beryl began laughing, mockingly. "The traitor is dead!" She cackled, voice filled with triumph. Slowly, Kerja turned, stunned, but Beryl didn't see the sign. "She deserved it - that little, two-faced-" but Beryl didn't expect what happened next. Kerja snatched her father's knife from where it lay on the ground, before seizing Beryl. Then she plunged it into Beryl's stomach, until the handle stopped it piercing any further. Beryl didn't scream, but she went rigid, gasping, staring into Kerja's eyes. "K-Kerja..." she rasped, and the macaws behind Kerja were staring with a mixture of shock and horror. Beryl looked shell-shocked, but now, she couldn't speak. Instead, she slithered to the floor, shaking, as Kerja tore the knife free. Blood turned the stone crimson.

"Kerja!" A voice interrupted. A male Hyacinth staggered from the weapons room, vines hanging from his wings - he had been the guard in there, but he must've been subdued, based on the scratches and vines on his body. He looked frantic. "I tried to - there were too many! They got rid of all the weapons!" He froze when he saw Beryl lying on the ground, then he saw the blood on Kerja's knife. At the same time, the female who had been guarding Sophia stumbled from the far left tunnel, struggling to untie the orange rope binding her beak. Kerja didn't acknowledge Beryl, who was now in some kind of spasm.

"You... idiots!" She roared, her voice heard from the main cave, as it went silent, the tribe members in there listening. She leapt forward, brandishing her knife, making them cower in terror. "Get to the main cave, now! Training, double time!"

"But Kerja!" Protested the female, throwing the remaining orange rope away, looking alarmed. "We don't have enough weapons! We must wait for another ship to pass so we can replace the lost ones. Hardly anyone here has fought without them, how will we -"

"Do I look like I care?" Screeched Kerja, reaching up and slapping the young macaw. She gasped, holding her face, stumbling back. "We aren't delaying! Get out of my sight, and start training them all! Get the younger ones, older ones! If the older ones are too weak, that's tough!" Frantically, the remaining macaws scrambled to get out of the tunnels, not wanting to share the same fate as Beryl, who was still dying on the floor. Finally, Kerja was alone, while Beryl's writhing was weakening. She gave Beryl an eerie grin - it didn't look real. It was filled with genuine insanity.

"You're crazy..." Beryl spluttered, before she began coughing and choking on her own blood. Kerja didn't say a word in reply - she then turned, and stalked from the room, leaving her former friend to bleed to death.


	35. Close

The journey home had been swift, and they had not encountered any problems - initially, Bia had been afraid to leave the mountain, but they had not met the Harpy eagles again. Shivers ran down Bia's spine at the memory of those talons, that cruel beak, the ragged feathers. She didn't want to see another pair of claws for a long time yet. The tiny blue fleck in her eye was still present, but she had developed a fondness for it. Bia hadn't been sure about it before, but she had grown to like it.

She flew alongside Azure, heart beating furiously in her chest; they were going to be in so much trouble. Leaving the ravine on a reckless journey for something that may not exist; not telling anyone; the list was very long, and they would be grounded for sure. But then it was worth it - they had what they desperately needed.

The Estrella flowers in the bag had not withered, as they had been relieved to learn. What was there to say that they weren't not like terrestrial flowers? What if they began to die once picked? But they had been travelling for a couple of days as fast as the wind carried them and as the train had went, and the flowers were still as bright and healthy as they had been unpicked. Still, they had fed them every few hours with water, just in case. Bia had drawn accurate drawings of the flower, including her memory of the bizarre stalk. Since the flowers would soon be used, she wanted to keep it's memory, remember exactly what it had looked like. She held onto the bag more tightly, determined not to let its precious contents be damaged or lost.

The air was getting more humid, but the sun was screened from sight via dark, heavy cloud cover. It was the afternoon, but the clouds made it dark - an ominous rumble of thunder murmured in the distance, and they looked at each other in unease. A storm wasn't good news, especially not now, when they were so close. Everything was beginning to look familiar, now - Peru was far behind, and they were well into Brazil. It was a total relief - the sense of nostalgia was now fading, as the Brazilian Amazon they loved and were familiar with welcomed them home. For some reason, however, something was different. Was it just her mind, playing tricks on her? Bia looked at the others, but then she noticed she wasn't alone. They were looking around, puzzled.

"It's..." Bia looked over her shoulder, where Tiago had spoken. Her brother was looking around, into the ever-familiar trees, confused. "...quiet." that was true. No river dolphins broke the surface of the river, hardly any birds sounded in the trees. The forest was eerily quiet, indeed.

"Too quiet." Bruno and Carla agreed, speaking in unison.

"You... don't think something's happened, do you?" Orchid asked, in a small voice. The other five looked about in unease, again. Something seemed not quite right, but as they flew for the trees, they all had a feeling that they were about to find out why.

_Meanwhile_

Sophia lay in the metal cage on a soft, white thing, eyes closed. For most of her life, she had hated humans with a burning passion, but now, she was much less hateful. They had been taught the truth - while some possessed pure evil, others were good and kind, like the humans in the Spix's Wing.

The moment Roberto had tapped his beak on the glass window, he had been spotted, perched outside. A human had approached the window with a frown - before it flung the window open upon spotting the poor creature in his talons. The hours following that had been an absolute blur to Sophia - a needle had been stuck into her skin multiple times, something soothing applied to her cuts and bruises, and she had been cleaned - the dirt and blood had been gently washed from her feathers, and now, Sophia's pain had reduced to a dull ache. She felt a calm and cool feeling - the medicines had soothed her body and her mind, although her worries lingered.

Roberto had been allowed to stay, but for now, he was gone - he had to let Isaac and Bromeliad know. It had killed Sophia to be taken away from her children, but she hadn't wanted to risk them by letting them accompany her and Roberto to the Spix's Wing. She would be allowed out in a few weeks at the least - her wounds and bruises had to fade, and, most importantly, her right wing feathers had to grow back. She couldn't fly properly - the humans would release her as soon as she was completely healed.

She looked down at the transparent tube going into her wing, frowning. Since it linked to a clear bag of liquid, she assumed that it was water, to keep her hydrated. And she needed it. Her last drink of water had been before her capture, and her throat had felt like sand. The Hyacinths had never bothered to give her water or food - and food was another thing. Her stomach had been shrieking for something, but she hadn't been able to help it back then - now, the bowl that had contained fruit and nuts had long been emptied. Despite the food, Sophia was still starving, and she was waiting for the bowl to be refilled. The water bowl too was half-empty.

Sophia was terrified of everything. The Hyacinths were planning to target the vulnerable - injured, young, elderly. An extensive operation had been taking place in the ravine when she had left; the elderly, a small group of twenty or thirty Spix's and Reds, were being escorted first, to Johanna's tribe, for their safety. The kids would be sent next, but this was a major obstacle. Kids weren't easy to control, and there were, between the Spix's and the Reds, around fifty to eighty young ones, and another forty or fifty-odd teenagers. Over one hundred young macaws moving through a Hyacinth-infested territory - it was incredibly risky. Many of them were too young to fly or understand to stay quiet as they moved under the beaks of Hyacinths, and protective parents were proving hard to convince that the evacuation idea was a good one. Felipe and Azalea were some of the most over-protective parents Sophia knew, and she knew that letting Leti and Adele go was hard. And the inseparable pair were often found in difficult situations - the possibility of the two sneaking off or getting lost during the evacuation wasn't that slim.

She rolled onto her back, gazing up at the metal roof of her cage, remembering how Roberto had described Jewel. Sophia had been refused entry to see her friend, since she had many open wounds. She couldn't risk catching Jewel's disease, since it was passed via blood of the infected. Sophia felt sick to her stomach everytime she thought of Jewel dying. Other than Azalea, Jewel was perhaps her closest friend. And she loved Bia, Carla and Tiago to bits - they were like family, and she hated the idea of them returning to find their mother dead. Reminded of them, she felt her heart twist with guilt.

If only she hadn't told the Hyacinths about them - if they were stopped from reaching home, it would be her fault. And Azure and Orchid were with them, and Bruno - she would never forgive herself if something happened to any of the six, especially Orchid and Azure. Orchid was still her baby, in her mind - she still remembered watching that tiny egg hatching almost five days late. And Azure was her precious and talented son, like his brother was. If something happened, it would be her fault, right? Could she face the tribe again, with that guilt on her shoulders?

_Later_

Back in the ravine, Blu stared out of the hollow entrance, eyes blank and unfocused. Fatigue had coloured the areas under his eyes grey, and made him look a few years older than he really was. His feathers, usually neat and in place, were ruffled and dirty. He couldn't remember the last time he had preened his feathers, but honestly, he couldn't care less. It was now too agonizing to look at Jewel - he hadn't laid his eyes on her for a few days. He couldn't stand it.

There had been a great commotion since Sophia had been carried from the ravine. Elderly, cranky macaws guided from their nests, and sent away to seek shelter with the Blue-and-Golds, with Johanna as a guide and other Spix's and Reds as protection. Blu's heart was beating quickly as the sense of panic intensified. It was reaching the month mark, since Jewel had been struck down by the 'Morte Incomum'. A month was Johanna's maximum prediction, no matter how much atraso was given. Jewel was now too weak to even stand, and her breathing was shallow and laboured. Blu would rather himself have the illness - if he could, he would take that poison and put it in his own blood, so that she could live.

It hurt so much - the pain of it all. Blu didn't know how much longer he could stand it, and he didn't want to tell their kids that their mother was gone, when they finally came back. Blu was dreading it all - the Hyacinth matter, Jewel - everything was going wrong. And what would they do about Jewel? Eduardo had thought that Jewel would be a target of the Hyacinths, after everything Sophia had revealed, but what could they do? Taking her to the Blue-and-Golds could just spread it to somebody else, and the outside was riddled with Hyacinths.

Blu was then made aware of a spluttering. He looked over his shoulder, with a frown, his eyes finding Jewel for the first time in days. She looked worse - more dried blood around her beak and eyes, bald patches dotting her body, and the heat practically visible as she had an intense fever. Jewel was usually motionless, but now she was spluttering heavily, struggling to breathe. Blood flew from her beak, and suddenly, she crashed from the nest, writhing on the floor. Her eyes bulged, as she struggled.

"Jewel!" Blu sprang to his talons, racing to her side. "Jewel!" His voice was a hoarse cry. He looked outside, petrified and desperate. "Help!" He shouted, with sheer desperation. His voice alerted some macaws, and they came racing from the trees, but they wouldn't be here fast enough. Blu whirled around, helpless as Jewel was trapped - then, suddenly, she froze. Jewel was eerily still - something was wrong. Heart in his throat, Blu rested a wingtip on her neck, but he felt no movement. Shock and terror tore through him like a knife.

"No!" He shrieked, staring in horror. Blu couldn't believe it - it couldn't be true. It couldn't be happening. Not now. Blu leapt forward, wings together, and began to frantically press on her chest, above her heart, to get it beating. Panic set in, as he had no immediate response. No matter how much he tried to beat her heart, she never responded. But then, suddenly, Jewel drew in a breath, before she began gasping, the air refilling her lungs. Blu staggered backwards, shocked, before rushing back to hold Jewel. "Jewel?" He asked, his voice breaking. Her eyes opened, pale and sickly, but they fixed upon him - she was still very much alive. Jewel blinked, and her beak moved in a soundless whisper. Blu held back his tears, thinking at how close he had been to losing her. There was the scuttling of frantic talons. Eduardo and Mimi skidded into the hollow, eyes bulging with terror, running to them.

"She's not, she's not -" Mimi began gasping, but upon seeing Jewel breathing, she exhaled in relief. The crowd outside, upon seeing that Jewel was alive, sighed, relieved that Jewel was still with them. Blu took a bewildered step back, not believing what had just happened - he had saved Jewel's life. Eduardo ran to his daughter, terrified by what he might find, and frantically began checking her over with Mimi. Jewel muttered something barely audible to them, and they both turned to stare at him in disbelief. Blu sank to the ground, against the wall, the reality hitting him at the full realisation of what had just happened. He suddenly found himself struggling to breathe, as he was trapped in a pair of wings. Looking down, he recognized the colour of Mimi's wings. One of her famous, suffocating hugs. "If it weren't for you -" she was saying between tears. "-she would've been gone." Blu managed a pained smile, as her embrace was indeed suffocating. Finally, she let him go, and ran to help Jewel back into her nest.

"Blu, I..." Eduardo's voice surprised Blu, and he turned to face his father-in-law. "I can't thank you enough for saving her." Blu barely had time to look at him before Eduardo gave him a rare hug. The crowd outside gaped in astonishment, by the fact that Blu had saved Jewel, and that Eduardo had given someone a hug. Finally, Eduardo turned away, helping Mimi move Jewel.

"Johanna and the patrol are back!" Announced the look-out, from the ravine entrance. "The elderly got there safely." As soon as Johanna re-entered the tree, Eduardo and Mimi quickly ushered her to Jewel, turning to Blu to have him describe what had just happened. As he described it, Johanna's lime-green eyes widened.

"What do you think?" Eduardo asked. Johanna looked down at Jewel, who was now sleeping as if nothing had happened.

"I think that your daughter... is lucky to be alive." Johanna said, slowly. "I can't explain what happened to her - it could've been anything, since the illness is so rare and hardly looked into... but whatever happened, it caused her heart to stop, clearly. If it hadn't been for Blu, it is likely that she would've been lost." Johanna was relieved that Blu's quick-thinking had paid off, but she felt a painful sorrow. She didn't have the heart to tell them that Jewel was days - if not hours - from death.

_Later_

Kerja paced on a tree branch, impatiently, her gnarled talons clinging onto her father's knife. She lifted it, staring into the long, ancient claw marks that belonged to her dead father. She had heard her tribe's whisperings. They knew what she had done to Beryl. They had their suspicions that she wasn't as sane as she made out. And some were doubtful of the battle. Despite their apparently entirely fierce members, Kerja knew that there were a few who were different. Some were just like Mina had been - reluctant, seeing no necessity in fighting and war. Many members like this often left the tribe sooner or later, to either live in lone families or join a less fierce, close-knit and smaller group. But Kerja needed every pair of talons, every beak, every surviving weapon. She had to hope that their loyalty wouldn't falter until the battle was over.

Despite the majority of their hundreds of weapons being thrown into the underground stream and being carried away to an uncertain fate, there were still a few dozen remaining that had been with their owners at the time. But still, this was a severe disadvantage - her tribe couldn't adjust to fighting weaponless. But Kerja didn't want to wait for their stocks to be replenished. Human ships on the river were less frequent at this time of the year, but she couldn't stand to wait much longer. She didn't care - so what if they were a few weapons down? They were Hyacinths, going against the Red macaws and the Spix's. The Reds had been easy to clear out of their Kapoks, and the Spix's were weak and pathetic - it would be too easy.

"Madam?" one of her two bodyguards asked, and for the first time, nervously. Since she had brutally killed Beryl, everyone seemed to be tip-toeing around her. Kerja whipped around, impatiently. He was shifting his feet, nervously. "May I inquire something?" Kerja nodded in answer, and the male turned to look at the training. "What do you plan to do to Eduardo's daughter, and his grandchildren?"

"I trust that our patrols will handle those meddlesome grandchildren." Kerja said, confidently. "They will stop them from returning with Jewel's cure. And as for her..." Kerja looked down at her knife, imagining the blood on it's blade. "I'll take care of her myself."


	36. Rising storms

Azure paused before following Bia into another hollow, stopping to stare at the scene. The Kapok trees that had been the home of the Scarlet and Green-Winged macaws were deserted. He had been here once with his parents and siblings to visit Felipe and Azalea, but then, it had been bustling with life. Couples preened each other's feathers, chicks played and learned to fly, elderly told stories of their youth to the younger generation. The atmosphere had been bright and happy, and they had been greeted with smiles. The tree branches were dotted with countless red feathers, and macaws chattered away without a care in the world. But not now - it was lifeless. The Kapoks were silent. No red bodies moved in the leaves, no squawking. It was empty. This was wrong - it was never empty, surely?

"I've found something." Tiago emerged from one hollow, and Orchid turned to look. Tiago was holding something 'Y' shaped; roughly cut from wood, with a vine stretching between the 'Y' split. Orchid's eyes widened, fascinated, and she looked over his shoulder to look more closely.

"What is that?" She asked, curiously. Tiago frowned, hooking a talon onto the vine and tugging it. When he let go, the vine snapped back into place.

"Looks like what humans call a slingshot - I remember Fernando had one of these, before he broke one of Linda and Tulio's windows with it. He threw it away, afterwards, so that they wouldn't suspect it was his fault." Reminded of how Fernando had used it, he stooped and picked up a small pebble, placing it in the vine and pulling it back. After a moment, he took aim, and let it fly. The pebble whizzed through the air, and as Bia emerged from a nearby hollow, she threw herself on the branch beneath her as the pebble flew where her head had been seconds before. Tiago gasped. "Sorry, Bia!" His sister glared at him, before flying into the adjacent tree to search again.

"Woah." Orchid said, watching how far the pebble had flown. "If you used a bigger rock or a Brazil nut, that could be dangerous..." She took the slingshot, turning it over; then she frowned. "Look." She turned it upside down, running a talon over some scrape marks. The owner clearly had little respect for it, as the wood was covered in cracks and claw marks. Orchid peered at the claw scrapes. "Whoever this belonged to had bigger claws than a Red or Spix's macaw. And a large beak." The wood had also clearly been chewed - as if the user had been bored and started to gnaw on it. Tiago rested his beak on the wood to mimic the action, and his beak barely filled half the chew mark. This beak was that of a larger bird.

While the pair inspected the object, pondering over it's owner, Bruno and Carla were looking around the other hollows - every one they entered was shadowed by a sense of sadness. All the other hollows had red feathers strewn over the floor, and a dried red liquid they prayed was only fruit juice. Carla was crouching over something, shoulders slumped. Bruno frowned, before he walked to her side, looking down. His heart twisted in sorrow and pity. A shattered eggshell, but that was not all. The yolk was lying on the ground, shiny and yellow. When eggs hatched, a hatching emerged, and not the yolk. "It was broken before it had the chance to hatch." Carla murmured. Her head hung, and her eyes glistened with tears. "The poor parents." Carla couldn't imagine how the shattered egg's parents were feeling. She casted her eyes over to the nest - four egg-shaped dips were visible. It was untidy, nest material sprawled, as if the parents had been in a panicked rush to collect the eggs and get out. They must have dropped one in their frenzy.

"Oh, no..." Bruno whispered, feeling a pang of sorrow. Carla looked at him, before she wrapped her wings tightly around him, buried in the feathers of his chest. For a few moments, they remained there, before Bruno reached up to a flowery plant growing over their heads, placing it amongst the broken egg remains. It was only right. "Hopefully this was the only one." He said, praying that he was right.

Bia and Azure stood in what had been Felipe andvAzalea's nest. It was silent and empty, eerie. A few colourful pebbles lay in the corner, with small talon marks in the wood around it - it was likely that the pebbles had been played with, by Adele and Leti. The two young chicks were no where to be seen, and they prayed that the pair were safe. Bia noticed something on the wall, walking to it and managing a small smile. Fruit paint was streaked across this side of the wall, made by little claws - flowers, animals, stars. She had been the same at their age, painting over the walls of her room in their birdhouse in Rio.

"They've got talent." Azure remarked, looking at the paintings, hoping to make the atmosphere less depressing. It worked briefly, but they sank back to sadness within seconds.

"I just don't understand it." Said Bia, picking up a red feather, which she suspected was Azalea's. "What on earth happened? Everything was so positive when we left, other than mom... and..." Bia frowned. Dropping Azalea's feather, she noticed something dark in the corner of her eye - it didn't belong here. Slowly, she reached down, wrapping her talons around it as though it were made of the most delicate glass. A navy blue feather, long and belonging to a large wing. She compared it to Azalea's - the Red macaw matriarch's was still glossy, but this one had ragged edges, and it felt far from soft. She turned to Azure, raising it for him to see. "When we left, Azure. What was happening at the borders?" Azure was frowning at the dark blue feather.

"Trespassing... it didn't feel safe to go out alone. And it was all because..." Azure's eyes widened as he realized. "Hyacinths." The moment the word escaped his beak, there was a shouting from outside.

"Bia! Azure!" Someone was calling, in fear. "Get out here!" Startled, Bia shoved the feather into the bag, running outside to see what had happened. "Watch out!" She recognized it as Orchid's voice - it was that moment that something whizzed past her head, crashing into the tree trunk behind her. Bia spun round to see where it came from - but she didn't see who it was, as something grabbed her. At first, she was terrified, but she realized that was Azure, shielding her as rocks and all sorts of objects rained around them. Suddenly, wings seized them, and they were hauled out of the way, behind the tree trunk.

"What on earth is that?" Gasped Azure, pressing himself against the tree trunk as all kinds of missiles flew around them - rock shards, brazil nuts, seeds, stones. But Bia knew. They all knew, when Bia whipped the navy feather from the bag. The others stared in bewilderment, before snapping out of their trance. More flying matter pelted around them.

"We can't just stand here!" Carla exclaimed, eyes blazing with anger - she was angry that they were being targeted by stones, but she was also angry that their neighbours had been forced from their home - that was what it seemed like, and what was happening now seemed to confirm it. This had caused the adrupt end of an innocent life that hadn't even begun - she was furious. She wasn't thinking - she spun round, and flew into the open air.

"Carla!" Bruno shouted, startled. "What on earth are you doing?!" There was a series of grunts, from both Carla and somebody else - finally, the group knew Carla couldn't do this alone. But as they flew out, preparing to face an army, they were surprised - and relieved - to see that only two young Hyacinths were shooting at them, with slingshots like the one Tiago was holding. A light blue blur was darting over one, and the Hyacinth in question howling and trying to dislodge her attacker, pleading her companion to help - but he was ignoring her, only focusing at the five macaws flying for them. He tried to get a hit, but the Spix's macaws were too agile, missing each one.

"Nice miss!" Tiago crashed into the male, head-first, and they rolled on the branch, snapping and clawing. Bia shoved the bag of flowers into Orchid's talons, for she was steering clear of the inferno, before she, for the first time in her life, launched herself into a fight. Jewel had taught them self-defence from an early age, so she was prepared. But Bia didn't want to hurt this macaw. They needed answers, not bloodshed. She threw herself onto the male's left wing, only to get smacked as it floundered up and down, but as Azure grabbed the other wing, she got a firmer grip.

"Someone get us a vine!" She called; but then one was thrust into her talons by Orchid. Flashing her a grateful glance, Bia and Azure managed to pin the struggling male's wings against him, before Bia managed to tie the vine, binding his wings to his body. Carla and Bruno had had the same success, and now, the six were facing two Hyacinth macaws, both unable to move. The two glared up at their tribe enemies. This was the closest the group had ever been to their violent neighbours - and they looked fierce, despite the ones before them being not much older than themselves.

"Well isn't this nice?" Said the female, sarcastically. "Exactly what I wanted to do on my weekend. Talking to Spix's flea-bags."

"Enough insults." Said Carla, wings on her hips. The male looked up with a sneer.

"What up, fatty?" He snickered; this caused uproar. Azure grabbed Bruno, for he had surged forward to give the male a piece of his mind; Tiago seized a pebble, preparing it in the sling-shot and holding it there; while Bia and Orchid began calling the Hyacinths every name under the sun. Instead of tears, Carla surprised them. She launched herself forward, slapping and silencing the male. His female companion gasped, and shifted away from Carla. Hurt did not fill Carla's eyes - instead, it was pure rage. The others were shocked - last time she had been insulted in this way, she had fled in tears and refused to leave her room. Had her emotions strengthened since then? Maybe Bruno had had a good influence on her emotional wellbeing.

"Fatty? Your buddies will call you scarface, if you say that lie again." She said, warningly. Her threat wasn't genuine, but the two Hyacinths looked alarmed. Clearly, they hadn't expected the Spix's macaws to be fierce. Carla peered closely at the male's face, eyes narrowed. "Now, you and your little friend had better start giving us answers. What happened here?" She gestured around the Kapoks.

"You think we'd tell the likes of you?" Said the male, rudely, his voice heavy with arrogance. The six looked at each other. Maybe they'd resort to something else - something drastic. Not violent. A few minutes later, the two Hyacinths were shrieking in terror, their mask of ferocity all but gone. A vine was tied between the two, and they were shoved off the sides of the branches. The vine between them lay on the branch, while the two Hyacinths floundered upside-down, unable to fly with their wings bound under the vines.

"Okay! Okay!" Sqeauled the female, in fear. If the vine snapped, they would plummet toward the forest floor, and be unable to fly to stop themselves hitting the ground. Bia, Carla, Tiago, Azure, Bruno and Orchid stood on the branch, watching with a mixture of reluctance and amusement. They hadn't wanted to resort to these measures, but they weren't going to get the answers any other way. They wouldn't really cut the vine, obviously. "We'll talk!" The female continued. When helpless, the Hyacinths weren't as fierce as they made out. "Kerja - our leader - she devised a plan, which we dubbed the 'One at a time' plot." She ignored the glares and mutters of protest from her male companion. "Basically, she's driving you all out, one by one - the Reds, Spix's, and then the Blue-and-Golds. The Red macaw tribe haven't been here for over a week and few days - the adults all went in and flushed them out." The Spix's macaws couldn't believe their ears. What had happened, while they were gone?

"What happened to them?" Azure demanded. The male looked up, squinting to see him properly.

"They're with your tribe." He replied, bitterly. He narrowed his eyes, faint recognition lighting in them, looking from Azure to Orchid. "You two look familiar... are you Sophia's kids?"

"Ssh!" Hissed the female; but Orchid wasn't satisfied, upon hearing this. She moved her talon toward the vine, and the female hurriedly rushed to answer. "Okay! Uh... Sophia... she's fine now, but - " then there was a strange sound. They all lifted their heads. The two Hyacinths squirmed, trying furthur to free themselves. "That's the shell call... they use it to gather meetings - hey!" The female and male began protesting, when the six Spix's macaws raced toward the sound. "Don't leave us hanging here!"

"Be smart and use your beak!" Tiago shouted over his shoulder, before following the others. If they were to find out what was going on, this gathering would be the answer.

_Meanwhile_

Mimi rolled her eyes. This was getting boring. It had taken a few hours to gather all the kids in the ravine together, and unlike the elderly, who only complained about the long journey, the kids were restless and many kept trying to sneak away. There had been debate over eggs; the Red macaws were especially fearful, as one unfortunate family had accidentally dropped one in their frenzy to escape the seiged Kapoks. The egg problem had later been resolved by the eggs being guarded and hidden deep within the secret cave, behind the waterfall. The eggs had the parents' names carefully written on the surface with fruit paint, to avoid mix-ups. That would be a disaster. She cleared her throat, and, for the sixth time, tried to address the kids before her without being interrupted. "Right, littleuns! Stay still, we need everyone accounted for - we'll start with the ladies! Right, in alphabetical order -"

"Littleuns? There's teenagers here!" Someone protested, from the back of the crowd.

"Who cares what we call you, Augustus? This is very important! Now, as I was saying - when your name is callled -" Mimi held up the long list, a large palm leaf scribbled with names. "You are to say 'Present!' Or something suitable and similar, nothing silly! Now, I will begin! You know what, forget gender and alphabetical order - Echo... Deltia... Elsa... Isaac... Bromeliad... Bromeliad?"

"Psst!" A young male named Kai poked Bromeliad. Bromeliad jolted out of her daydream, startled. Isaac pointed to the front, where Mimi was craning her neck and searching.

"Present!" Bromeliad exclaimed, before sinking back into her mood. She wasn't happy, and neither were the crowd around her. The crowd consisted of young chicks, and teenagers like herself and Isaac. Her brother stood on her right, while other kids huddled on her left, Green-Winged, Scarlet and Spix's. She wasn't usually claustrophobic, but since there were over a hundred young macaws gathered around her, this was an exception.

Bromeliad didn't want to be separated from Isaac, so she had to cling onto his wing like she was a kid. It was embarrassing, but they had almost lost each other in the crowd more than four times. Anxious parents were gathered in the trees around, keeping eyes on their children to ensure they didn't wander off. Bromeliad could sense that Roberto was watching them, from somewhere. She missed him and Sophia already. But at least Sophia was safe, and away from the inevitable battle. Bromeliad missed her terribly - they had only been reunited for a small amount of time, afterall.

In front of Bromeliad and Isaac, Adele and Leti looked tiny, amongst the older teenagers. They were very young, barely over half Isaac's height, and they should've been with the younger kids, but they wanted to stay close to somebody they knew well. Bromeliad and Isaac were like cousins to the pair, and they wanted to keep an eye on them. It took almost ten minutes for Mimi to finish striking off names on the list - but finally, every child was gathered, and they were ready to go. Isaac looked up, beside Bromeliad, frowning at the sky. "Look at that cloud... I think there's a storm coming." Bromeliad looked up, the feathers on her neck pricking. It was getting close to evening, but the sky was already dark - darkened from storm clouds. She had a terrible feeling that today was the day. The day of Kerja trying to begin her reign of tyranny.

As Bromeliad felt the crowd begin to move toward the ravine entrance, she clung onto Isaac even tighter, trying to stay by him as well as keep an eye on the red feathers of Adele and Leti. As they moved, Bromeliad's sense of terror intensified. Her two missing siblings and her other friends were still missing. Jewel was in a critical condition. A storm was coming their way, promising rain and thunder. And another, made of feathers and talons. One of those storms was about to unleash havoc upon her home.


	37. Keep her safe

Bia, Carla, Tiago, Azure, Bruno, and Orchid found the Hyacinths easily. They followed the shell call, and the eerie, mechanical chanting. They were directly on the midpoint between the Hyacinths, Red, and Spix's macaw territories, and the six concealed themselves in some ferns, peering out. What they saw shocked them. Bia held onto Azure's wing, tightly, terrified by the scene before her. Over a hundred Hyacinths plagued the clearing, backs to them, unaware that they were being watched. They were prepared to battle.

Bia had heard of an old book, named _Lord of the Flies. _She had read it once, on their Summer vacation back to Rio, and she had personally thought it to be a good story - but she hadn't appreciated the violent, graphic content. There was something eerily similar about these Hyacinths and the human boys in that book who had given into savagery. The shell, the chants, the body paint, just like in _Lord of the Flies. _Hyacinths were chanting about spilling blood, breaking bones, and cutting throats. Most of them, anyway. A few standing directly in front of the Spix's concealed spot were either silent, or muttering in discontent.

The chanting Hyacinths were painted, just like in that book. Red and black splotches marked their fronts, while stark white was drawn in such a way that it made them look like skeletons. The white drew in their sternums, their ribs. And many of their faces were almost entirely white - leaving areas around the beak and eyes, like eye sockets in a skull, showing the yellow eye rings and the crescent-moon by their beaks. Some held weapons - but as Bia counted, she noticed that there weren't that many human objects present. She counted seventeen altogether; didn't they have more human weapons? She had sworn that Eduardo said they had hundreds.

Suddenly, the chanting cut off. The Hyacinths were as silent as death, all eyes turned to the front. Immediately, they all bowed deeply - some, nearer the back, with dreary obedience, as if their respect wasn't genuine. The six Spix's macaws had heard stories about Kerja, the deadly matriarch, at how she was ferocious and feared by all. She indeed looked as fierce as they were told. They knew it was her, despite never having seen her in the flesh. Kerja was a particularly large Hyacinth, with impressive body paint that was clearly designed to be superior to her tribe. Her paint was much more precise and detailed than her tribe's, and she also wore a necklace. On the necklace end was a polished, white jaguar tooth, but around nine feathers were tied on either side of the tooth - Bia identified a few, but the last three were what made her heart sink. A pale cerulean, a crimson red, and a blue one with a splash of yellow. Kerja was so confident that she would defeat all three tribes that she had added the feathers to her trophy already. Kerja also had her famous, mangled-looking foot, which clung onto an ancient-looking knife.

"My brothers and sisters. This is a very big day." Kerja was grinning. But there was something strange about that smile - it didn't seem quite sane. And her voice was like splintering wood, with a sickly sweet tone hinted. "Today is going to be the milestone of our lives. What happens today will shape the future of our tribe." The tribe below applauded, before fading away. Kerja stepped forward, her voice changing - it sounded more drone-like, as if she had rehearsed it beforehand. "Just imagine this, all of you. Imagine raising chicks in a ravine. A lush waterfall, with lilypads for them to play on?" Several female macaws sighed wistfully, picturing the ravine in their minds, and their chicks. Kerja then continued. "Alternatively, if water isn't to your liking, you could go to the grand Kapoks. And finally, the Blue-and-Gold territory." At the mention of the Blue-and-Gold tribe, much of the audience began laughing. "Does such a cowardly tribe deserve such glorious surroundings, with abundant fruit and beauty? They should be kicked off the sanctuary. See what effect that has on a weak tribe."

"I can't believe this." Bruno hissed, before falling silent as he realized how close the Hyacinths were. Kerja resumed her speech, the drone in her voice vanishing. Her eyes blazed with determination.

"My dear friends. It is time to set a fire! A time to take what is our birthright! And we will avenge my father, who was killed in cold blood, by none other than Eduardo!" Kerja slammed her knife deep into a tree trunk, eyes ignited with madness and hunger - not physical hunger, but hunger for something else. Bia, Carla, and Tiago remembered it. They had been faced with that foul cockatoo over a year ago, seen the look in his eyes as he looked at Blu. A desperation for vengeance. They looked at each other, thinking the same thing. Now that they thought about it, the mention of her father had been when Kerja showed real passion in her voice. She sounded genuine throughout the speech, but not as much as she did when mentioning avenging her father. _This isn't about territory, to her... she wants justice for her father. Could that be it? _"We will be safe from human poison, and they will be left to the mercy of the rest of the jungle outside the sanctuary!" Spittle flew as Kerja began shouting. "Tonight, we will carve a scar so deep into their memory that they will not dare speak our name!" Kerja threw out her wings for dramatic effect, and upon this, the tribe began cheering wildly. They were chanting her name over and over, with fierce loyalty and ferocity. The eavesdroppers were in stunned silence. They couldn't believe their ears - especially not what Kerja said next.

"In a few minutes time, we will go to the ravine, and we will strike them! We'll find Eduardo, and Felipe and Johanna! We will drag them to the front of the tribes, and show them what will happen if they stay!"

"Minutes?" Choked Tiago.

"Meanwhile, I will hunt down Eduardo's daughter, and I will kill her before her disease does!" Bia, Carla, and Tiago stiffled cries of protest. Their worlds spun - Kerja wanted to kill Jewel? Why - what had Jewel ever done to her? At first, none of them understood. But then Orchid spoke.

"Of course... if Eduardo killed her father..." Orchid's voice was barely audible. "She'll want to take someone from him."

"We can't let that happen." Said Carla, fiercely, head jolting up. "We just can't. We have to go and warn them." Then their attention was pulled back to Kerja. Someone had lighted down on the branch, was whispering frantically in her ear. There were two, and the six Spix's macaws knew their silhouettes - they held slingshots under their talons. Kerja nodded, before raising her voice again.

"Rodrigo and Consuela here tell me that the tribes have evacuated all their young, and they're moving through the forest right now - headed for the Blue and-Golds." Kerja said, almost casually. The six froze. Azure and Orchid's talons dug into the soil, in fear. _Isaac. Bromeliad. Adele. Leti. _"I want ten macaws to go and stop them from reaching the Blue-and-Golds. You lot." She waved a wing to some of her tribe, along the right. "Off you go." She nodded, and they vanished into the trees, swiftly.

"Come on, we have to find them -" Azure and Orchid turned to go, but then they all froze as they heard Kerja's voice again.

"My five friends at the back." Kerja said, to some Hyacinths closest to the hiding spot. "You will not be going to the battle, for you will be busy looking after the six spies hidden in the ferns behind you. Keep Eduardo's grandchildren and their three companions company until the battle is over." Bia barely had time to think. Azure had grabbed her, and then the bushes were alive as Hyacinths bursted from the leaves. They flew for their lives, as the remaining tribe of Hyacinths lifted into flight, with one destination in mind.

_A few minutes later_

_"Eduardo! Eduardo!" _The voice split the eerie silence of the ravine. Roberto had been in the forest, on guard, watching for signs. Then he had seen it and heard it. Battle cries and chants, and seen the advancing dark blue mass heading their way. His heart was racing with terror. Eduardo looked up, startled, from where he had been discussing fighting tactics. He knew what Roberto had seen. "Eduardo, they're on their way! The trees are moving like crazy, and they're chanting all sorts of -" Roberto looked as though he were about to have a panic attack. His mate was safe, but his kids were in that forest.

Eduardo didn't allow Roberto to finish. He spun round, shouting at the top of his voice. Startled macaws appeared from hollows, dreading the news. "Prepare! Get ready!" He shouted, and then the air was filled with barking orders, red and blue forms. Branches were broken, and were quickly prepared to be used as defence or weapons. Eduardo desperately began trying to think. If they lost this ravine, they lost everything. On his left, Mimi was pacing, trying to find something to do. She couldn't fight to save her life, so, to protect her, Eduardo sent his sister flying for the waterfall cave to hide and guard the eggs.

In his tree, Blu was trying to prevent himself having a panic attack. Blu knew that Kerja knew about Jewel. She wanted Jewel's blood, but he couldn't let that happen. He spun round, racing to Jewel, trying to think. Johanna suddenly burst into the room, hastily, one idea in her mind. "Take her. Hide in the forest until it's over!" Johanna urged, wide-eyed. Blu stared at the Blue-and-Gold macaw.

"What about you? You can't fight. You'll..." his voice faltered. Johanna would be useless in battle, and she would be a target.

"She's more important, Blu." Johanna replied, shaking her head. "Just hide out there, please. I'm guarding the eggs, anyway." That wasn't true. She just wanted to put his mind to ease, so that he could focus on Jewel.

Blu was torn - but then he knew he had to take Jewel to safety. Kerja was coming for her. He nodded, with reluctance. Johanna turned to go. "Johanna -" Blu said, and she looked back. "Be careful. And thank you. I owe you so much." Johanna replied with a smile, before heading outside to tell Eduardo about the plan. Behind him, Jewel began coughing again. She had passed the month mark, and she could go at any time. "Jewel, look at me..." Blu begged, but Jewel didn't show any sign that she had heard. Had she not been breathing, she would've looked dead. He shook his head, tears forming. "I'm going to keep you safe. But you have to hang on... for just a little longer. Promise me." Naturally, he got no verbal response, but one of Jewel's eyes opened a fraction.

Blu picked up Jewel, before flying outside. As he emerged, he saw Eduardo, Mimi and Roberto, with Johanna speaking and indicating toward Blu and Jewel. Their eyes bore into him and Jewel, before they all nodded in unison, all silently telling him the same._ Keep her safe. _Blu looked down at Jewel, who was unconscious in his talons. She felt dead - he could barely detect her breathing and heartbeat. She was alive, but just. Most of Jewel's skin beneath her feathers was now black. Just looking at her like this broke his heart. Without hesitation, Blu flew for a crack in the back of the ravine, a rarely used entrance. Flying through the rock and emerging in the trees, Blu flew into the dense rainforest, Jewel hanging limply from his talons.


	38. The siege begins

Bromeliad and Isaac moved through the forest, eyes on Adele and Leti, trying not to lose them in the crowd. Their escorts, older macaws, were flying along the sides, guiding them and keeping an eye out for enemy Hyacinths. So far, they had encountered nothing, which was a huge relief. The number of adults were small, and most of the crowd were too young or inexperienced to fight. The teenagers could, but most had not been taught adequate self-defence. Isaac and Bromeliad, as well as Azure and Orchid, had been taught by Roberto and Sophia, but not many of the others' parents had bothered.

Suddenly, ahead, the escorts halted. Through the trees, the first flowery tree of the Blue-and Gold territory was visible. But this wasn't why they had stopped. Instead of moving forward, the terrified kids dived under a nearby fern patch as dark blue shapes melted from the shadows.

_Meanwhile_

"I, I -" Orchid was stammering. "I think we lost them..." The group finally slowed down, panting and trying to catch their breath. The sound of arguing Hyacinths faded away, and they could focus on the distant sound of eerie Hyacinth chanting, toward the direction of the ravine. The six exchanged worrying glances, and fearful ones. All their parents were there - and the Hyacinths were stopping them getting back. Bia looked into the bag with worry. They were so close, and Jewel could be in a terrible condition by now. They were blocked by a Hyacinth barrier, and the ravine would soon be filled with battle.

"I think they're gone too." Tiago agreed, watching the trees where their pursuers had disappeared. At first, there was great relief - but this was then replaced by the worry of their new problems.

"Okay, we need a carefully organized, structured plan..." Bruno began, but his voice faded as he had no ideas. There was a moment of silence, before he turned to the others with a helpless shrug. "Any bright ideas?"

"It's simple - we need to help the kids, protect them until they get to the Blue-and-Golds, and someone needs to find mom." Carla said, with determination. "Okay, I think it's best if four of us go to the kids, and two find mom..."

"Only two?" Asked Azure, startled. "There's a whole tribe of Hyacinths out there!"

"Think about it, Azure!" Carla turned to him. "The less go to find mom, the less chance of delays and getting noticed by Hyacinths - and the adults can look after themselves. More of us have to go and protect the kids! The teenagers there might not be adequate at keeping the little ones together - we're pretty much the most sensible, other than Isaac and Bromeliad... four of us need to be there. Ten Hyacinths may not sound like much, but there are some seriously tiny kids out there! They'll go running in all directions, and they could get hurt."

"She's right, Azure." Bia reminded him - eventually, Azure saw sense. "I'll go to find mom." Bia volunteered. She turned to Azure; what would he do? Go with her, or help the others with the kids? His brother and sister were amung those kids, too, so it had to be a hard decision.

"I'm going with you." Azure said, firmly. Bia felt a sense of relief at this - of every one here, she wanted him most by her side.

"Are you sure?" Asked Tiago, glancing in direction of the ravine. "It could be dangerous..."

"Look, we'll be fine. Just go and find the kids." Bia insisted, looking over her shoulder as she heard the Hyacinth cheering yet again, felt her skin prickle. She tightened her grip on the bag. "Let's go, Azure." Before they left, Bia and Azure quickly hugged their friends. Azure spoke quietly to Orchid, and then to Tiago; she heard him ask Tiago to look after Orchid, who protested at this.

"For the last time, we'll be fine! And I'm not a baby, for the thousandth time!" She protested, indignantly. "I may be your baby sister, but I can take care of myself."

"Okay." Bia said, pulling out of Carla's embrace. She faced the others with Azure, biting her lower beak. "See you later, okay?" Bia didn't dare say what she was really thinking. _I hope we'll see you later._

Watching Bia and Azure go, Bruno, Carla, Tiago and Orchid reluctantly turned away, flying toward the Blue-and-Gold territory. They had to forget about Bia and Azure for now, and focus on finding those kids.

_Meanwhile_

_"_At least two macaws to every one Hyacinth!" Eduardo barked, trying to convince himself that Jewel and Blu would get back unscathed. "They may be stupid, but they are very powerful! If you are too injured to carry on fighting, you must flee - don't worry about anyone else, we have to prevent fatalities. Do not attack Kerja - if you see her, stay away from her! She will be guarded as she fights, most likely - stay out of her reach, unless you want to be torn apart! And if you see a Hyacinth headed for the cave, stop them! Do what you must to prevent them touching the eggs!" Every macaw that flew by nodded to show that they understood. Then a new voice sounded, making every Scarlet and Green-Winged macaw stop what they were doing. The Spix's macaws also turned.

"Everybody, listen to me! We are survivors, all of us here!" Felipe shouted, at the top of his voice, as more and more macaws gathered over the plunge pool, hovering with grim expressions. "We've survived two fires! Battles with each other, humans, Hyacinths! We survived then, so we can survive this!" Azalea stood beside him, with a worried expression. Felipe took her wing. "Hyacinths may have feathers and wings, but that does not make them macaws! We are better than them, because we are united! They're on their own, and always will be!" The Red and Spix's macaws all looked at each other. Felipe was absolutely right - they could - no, would - survive this. Felipe looked at Eduardo, who nodded in respect. Felipe then turned to Azalea, speaking quietly. Azalea was shaking her head, before she gave her mate a hug. Felipe was probably trying to get her to seek safety with the Blue-and-Golds, but based by Azalea's shaking head, she was refusing to leave him.

"We're in this together." Her voice was heard by the rest of the macaws. This line was just as inspirational to them as Felipe's speech. Then they all heard it. The chanting.

"Get ready!" Shouted Eduardo. Finally, all macaws were hovering, holding natural weapons - stones, brazil nuts, branches. Roberto hovered by Felipe and Azalea, holding onto a large branch. He could use it as defence, or for hitting someone. Roberto imagined his mate, his four kids, in his mind. He would see them again - he would see everyone he loved once this was over, as would everyone else. Nobody was going to die. _For Sophia, _he thought. The Hyacinths would pay for torturing her.

Then, at that moment, Hyacinths poured into the ravine. They did not attack on sight -instead, they halted, as if waiting for something. The chanting ceased abruptly, and they faced their enemies with wide, maddened eyes. Near the back, some muttered z before swiftly turning and fleeing. The Spix's, Scarlet and Green-Winged macaws were silent, shocked by how the Hyacinths had decorated themselves. They practically looked like flying skeletons, against a red, black and navy background. Eduardo stared at them all, shocked by their body decor, but he managed to conceal his shock. He spoke loudly, without fear, standing tall. He said it simply, but effectively. "Last chance. Go home."

"Old guy..." a greying male chuckled. "We _are_ home." From somewhere, there was an ear-splitting shriek of a Hyacinth, sounding the signal. Then the Hyacinths charged, letting out battle cries. Eduardo and Felipe both squawked to order their tribes, who threw their wings into the air, letting out squawks of their own, before charging forward. It was like two waves rushing toward one another - one dark blue with paint and small yellow marks, and a lighter blue and red, together. It happened in slow motion; the Hyacinths flew without strategy or plan, while the other side flew with their carefully formed plans in mind. Then, finally, the waves collided. Feathers flew through the air, and screeches erupted - Spix's, Scarlet, Green-Winged, and Hyacinth, and, occasionally, the sound of the Blue-and-Gold Johanna. Weapons, both natural and human, were thrown wildly, and claws raked over skin.

Roberto lunged, swinging the branch with all his might, and felt it strike home. His chosen opponent, a young female, sqeauled sharply as she was sent tumbling both by his hit and by a sudden gust of wind. Roberto managed to stay relatively in control with the branch weighing him down against the gale, and he surged forward again - but he would miss, as the female jerked aside. But before the branch came down, there was a red smear in the corner of Roberto's eye. Felipe and Azalea shoved into the female, sending her back into the zone, and the branch came down heavily on her back. She screeched in pain, and, to their satisfaction, this was enough to send her fleeing out of the ravine, ignoring her tribe mates' protests and orders to stay. Roberto looked at Felipe and Azalea, gratefully.

"Thanks!" He exclaimed; then he saw another flying up behind Felipe, with a pair of human scissors - this was the exact same weapon and Hyacinth that had killed Catia weeks ago. "Duck!" He cried out, flying forwards with the branch. The two Scarlet macaws turned, and gasped, folding their wings and diving as the Hyacinth stabbed forward. Roberto knocked the scissors from it's grasp, and the Hyacinth gasped, watching it fall into the water below. Azalea leapt forward, claws seizing it by the wing. Clumsily, not used to fighting with bare talons, the Hyacinth swiped with inaccuracy, missing Azalea by a few feet. She was soon aided by a Green-Winged macaw, and while they drove the male away, Felipe took the end of the branch Roberto held, so it lay horizontally between them.

"This is a seriously fun way of knocking the bad guys - fly toward them with the branch like this." Felipe gestured toward three Hyacinths. Together, Roberto and Felipe flew toward the trio with the branch between them. The branch knocked into the three Hyacinths, dazing and sending them spinning.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Roberto crowed, wings flying out, but then the three Hyacinths recovered, and spun toward him and Felipe. Their triumph and amusement vanished abruptly. "Uh-oh." Roberto's sense of pride vanished as they charged toward him and his friend. Felipe grabbed him by the wing, pulling him out of harm's way. "What do we do -" Roberto began, and his question was swiftly answered.

"Get away from too much we can't handle!" Felipe insisted; with that, they turned and flew into the inferno to try and lose their three chasers. Felipe ducked as a talon aimed at his head. "And where's Kerja? Why ain't she fighting her own battle?"

"Who cares? It's a good thing she _isn't_ here." Roberto muttered, before rolling in midair as something dark blue flew at him. But as the fight went on, Kerja was perched upon a ravine cliff, overlooking the battle. She had specifically ordered her tribe not to fatally injure Eduardo - his life was hers to take. She rested her twisted foot onto the soil, where she remembered. She was certain this was where Jorge's body had been collected and taken away by her tribe members, all those years ago.

Kerja wanted to leap into battle - she was desperate to sink her claws into enemy Spix's and Reds. But that would have to wait. Behind her, she heard a voice. "Kerja. I have some bad news... some of our members have left, during and before the fight began. During the advance, I saw around a dozen sneak away..."

"Traitors." Kerja muttered, feeling betrayed. Those cowards were just like Mina - they hadn't wanted to fight. But then her companion spoke again.

"The son-in-law and daughter are hiding in the north-east forest." It reported. "They're hiding in a palm." This was music to Kerja's ears. It was too perfect.

Nodding, Kerja waited for the Hyacinth to leave, before turning to the battle. She lifted the blade, before searching the fight, looking for someone. Eventually, she spotted Eduardo fighting alongside Johanna, who was distracting their opponent while Eduardo striked. She narrowed her eyes, before she began talking to herself. "So, Eduardo. You want your daughter to be out of pain?" Her grip in her father's pocketknife tightened, and she spoke in an acidic, scornful voice as she began to fly. "So be it."


	39. Ravine, palms and ferns

Eduardo seized the branch Johanna had thrown him, before turning, and swinging it with all his power. It crashed into his attacker, who only wrenched the branch from his grasp. Eduardo was then sent flying as it whacked him, and he crashed onto a rock. The patriarch wasn't getting any younger - his bones ached, jolted with the impact of the rock, and he wasn't as strong or fast as he used to be. Recovering, Eduardo forced himself back into combat, taking a rock shard and facing his opponent. Mimi had advised against him taking part in the battle, but he couldn't let his headstrong sister take over this time. He had to take part - it was his fault, after all.

Eduardo did regret killing Jorge all that time ago, but he hadn't a choice. Jorge would've torn him apart - it had been self defence, but Kerja hadn't seen that. There had to be something wrong in that brain of hers. Over fifteen years of plotting revenge was extreme, and it was a bit weird, that laugh of hers. It wasn't normal - it was just plain evil and insane. Thinking of that, where was she? Eduardo had imagined them facing off in a one-on-one fight, but she wasn't here. This angered him - was she too lazy to do her own dirty work? He remembered how Blu and Jewel were hidden in the forest, and had a dreadful image of what would happen to them if Kerja found them.

"Eduardo! Look out!" Roberto shouted, from somewhere. Eduardo snapped out of his thoughts, and suddenly realized that his opponent now had a glass shard in talon, and was flying at him at full speed. But it was intercepted by something yellow and blue. Johanna grabbed the weapon, and began trying to wrestle it off the Hyacinth, who angrily tried to keep hold of his possession. They were both trying to hold it so tightly that it cut into their talons, and the glass turned red; finally, Johanna saw an opportunity, and let go. Not expecting it, the Hyacinth fell backwards, spinning and flailing through the air. She turned to Eduardo.

"We need more help!" Johanna insisted. She looked from the battle to the ravine exit, thinking, and then she reached a decision. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"What?" Eduardo asked, but before he could say anymore, Johanna had vanished. Eduardo turned his attention to the battle again - he had to focus. Seeing Roberto struggling with a larger opponent, Eduardo threw himself back into the fight.

_Meanwhile_

Blu could hear the distant sound of battle going on, and he was terrified. Terrified of that, and terrified of what was happening to Jewel. Something was different - she was usually near-lifeless. But now she was moving; she was jerking every few moments, as though having a weak fit. It wasn't as dramatic as what had made her heart stop not that long ago, but her organs were probably beginning to fail by now. Johanna had told him that organ failure occurred as the disease process completed. Her heart was weakening, as were her lungs, and more blood was making it's appearance. Her eyes were now glassy and half-shut. She couldn't move intentionally - it was as if she were paralyzed. Blu held Jewel tightly in his wings, trying not to break down. Everything was too much - Jewel, the battle, their kids being gone - it was pushing him to the brink.

They were hidden in a palm tree, the large leaves concealing them. Blu was on edge - jumping at the slightest sound. The deranged matriarch could be lurking anywhere, and she was after Jewel. He had to hope that she was busy in the battle, and wasn't looking out here for her target. She would surely search the ravine first - right?

Blu pushed the leaves aside, peering out as far as he dared. The forest was silent, other than the sound of the struggle in the distance. It was getting darker as evening took hold, made even darker by the storm overhead. It wasn't raining yet, but based by the black clouds, it wasn't far off. Thunder rumbled occasionally, and lightning illuminated the sky every few minutes. Not a shred of sky was visible - this storm had been building up for weeks, with the dry spell. It hadn't been as terrible as the heatwave a few months back, where the river level had been so affected it had dropped a few metres, but this rain was going to be heavy.

Behind him, Jewel coughed, and he heard the leaves stir as she moved. When he turned, he was shocked by what he saw - she had managed to stand up, but shakily. While this was a good sign, Blu knew she had to conserve her energy. "Jewel, you have to rest -" Blu began, but then Jewel fell over, stumbling on the palm and landing on her front. She muttered something weak and inaudible. She lay there, slumped, wings hanging over the palm leaf. Blu went to help her up, but she was looking below. She opened her beak, and made a high-pitched sound, looking frantically and weakly at him. With a frown, Blu followed her gaze - then he felt his blood go cold.

Something dark blue with a twisted foot was standing directly below their tree, looking up with piercing grey eyes, examining the palms that surrounded them all. Blu felt faint - but he managed to remain calm. Blu had to be quiet - quieter than he ever had been. It was said that Kerja had supreme hearing and eyesight, so the slightest mistake would give away their place. Blu couldn't believe she was there - how had she tracked them down, to this part of the forest, of all places? Had he been spotted somehow?

Blu slowly edged along the palm, flinching everytime he brushed a leaf, until he was beside Jewel. They had to get away from the palms, quickly. Jewel looked up at him with delirious, yet terrified eyes, as he wrapped his talons around her, trying to figure out if they could fly away unheard and unseen. But as Blu turned to go, his wing brushed something on the tree trunk.

He and Jewel both turned to look at the palm fruit, which were barely attached to their pods - they were ready to fall. And his wing had shaken some loose. Jewel feebly reached out to try and catch them, but she had no strength left in her wing to grasp. They bounced off, and fell toward the forest floor. They landed right at Kerja's feet. She looked up slowly, feathers rising with hostility. Blu and Jewel stared down through the palm leaves, Blu's heart thumping and Jewel's ever-weakening heart attempting to beat more strongly as she got frightened. At first, they thought they hadn't been seen. But then Kerja spoke loudly.

"I must say. A very, very clever hiding place. Plenty of leaves to hide yourselves... it truly was a clever idea. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked." Kerja spoke in a casual, yet grating voice. Blu and Jewel were frozen, unsure over what they should do. "I'm going to give you two a three second headstart." Kerja said, folding her wings.

"What the..." Blu said, to himself. He peered down the palm.

"One." Kerja said. Blu hesitated. In his talons, Jewel was struggling, weakly telling him to go. As Kerja said 'two', he came to his senses. Blu grabbed Jewel, and leapt off the branch. At first, the surroundings were silent - then Kerja shrieked the third number, and the air behind him stirred with large wingbeats. Blu didn't dare look back - he flew faster than he ever had in his life. Behind him, Kerja began to chase them, with an ear-splitting squawk.

_Meanwhile_

Isaac dived under a plant, missing the diving Hyacinth by inches. It's talons scrapped the air where he had stood seconds before, before the Hyacinth cursed and flew higher, scanning for more victims. Their adult guides were being restrained by several other dark blue birds, pinned down and protesting. "Take us!" Cried Isabella, struggling violently. "They're only kids! Just let them go -"

"Shut it!" Snapped her restrainer, kicking her hard in the side, and Isabella gasped in pain, falling into silence. The others hissed and continued to struggle and protest, and their captors ignored them, only trying to help their companion in scanning the undergrowth. There were several holding the guides, and one, a large, scarred male, was stalking the undergrowth, searching. Underneath the dense ferns, teenagers were running, gathering the terrified chicks and returning them to the main group. Thankfully, it seemed as though no-one had run off into the forest - but they still had a problem. Isaac looked to the right, peering through the ferns, where he could just about make out the first trees of the Blue-and-Gold territory. They were at least thirty metres away. He wanted to shout and curse his frustration - they were so close, but they couldn't escape to the safety.

"Isaac!" Hissed a voice. A female Spix's macaw named Floresta, a friend of his, was pointing outside the ferns, to something behind Isaac. Isaac turned, and his heart sank as he saw it. Bromeliad's ocean-blue eyes were visible under a nearby dip in the forest floor - vines criss-crossed over the dip, concealing her, but she was two metres away with a large open space between herself and the others in the ferns. To make things worse, she wasn't alone.

Adele and Leti were cowering under her wings, along with two other Spix's chicks. Beside Bromeliad, Augustus and a teenaged Green-Winged Isaac didn't recognize were also hidden, with visible terror. But their spot was frighteningly close to where the Hyacinths were restraining the adults. The searching Hyacinth moved closer to the fern canopy, beady eyes piercing into the ferns as he looked. The teenagers were clinging onto the chicks, hugging and trying to reassure them, but the ferns moved with the slightest movement.

"Look..." whispered Isaac, flinching as the ferns shuddered directly above him. He spoke to the split group and the ones around him. "We need to..." but then his voice cut off. The scarred male was walking, directly between their ferns and the vines where Bromeliad and the others hid. No one dared to move. A chick that couldn't be more than a few weeks old clung to Isaac, shuddering and crying silent tears. Isaac put his wings at it's shoulders to try and reassure it, while locking eyes with Bromeliad, mouthing the words "be quiet and don't move"; then, a tiny sound came from one of the Spix's chicks by Bromeliad - a sob that faded as it regained control.

The scarred Hyacinth then turned. It's eyes were set on Bromeliad and the others' hiding place - from above, it just looked like a pile of vines. But it had clearly heard something. To Isaac's horror, it walked toward the spot, slowly, it's feathers lifting. Isaac had to do something. He plucked up the chick clinging to him, and put him into a Scarlet macaw's wings. As he prepared to leap out of hiding, something happened, stopping him in his tracks. A squawk Isaac hadn't heard in weeks rang out, and then a shadow grew over the scarred male.

Tiago flung himself directly at the Hyacinth, his claws coming into contact with it's head. Shocked, it leapt at least a foot into the air, before staggering over to it's companions who were restraining the adults. Distracted from their prisoners, they looked up in startled surprise. Taking this opportunity, the adults surged upwards, dislodging their captors enough for them to scrabble away. Immediately, they turned to the undergrowth, their first priority being the kids they had been entrusted with.

"Run, kids! The Blue-and-Golds are through there!" Urged one; the ferns then burst into life as blue and red blurs exploded from the fronds, the teenagers carrying the smallest chicks who could not yet fly. Confused, it took the Hyacinths several moments to realize it - then they surged forwards, only to be blocked by the adult guides. From the bushes, Carla, Orchid and Bruno leapt out of hiding to help. Carla made a beeline for the vines, to help the group out, while Orchid and Bruno began helping the last kids. Augustus emerged first; upon noticing who it was, he stiffened. Carla stared back, tense, before she rolled her eyes to herself, seizing his wing to help him out. Augustus muttered an awkward thank-you, and something else - it sounded like an apology. The hate in Carla's eyes faded a little.

"I forgive you, alright?" She said, irritably. Giving him a curt nod, Carla then focused on helping the Green-Winged out, while Augustus looked at her once, before he swiftly fled with the others. The two Spix's chicks fled upon liberty, while Adele and Leti waited, not wanting to leave the final one in the vines. Bromeliad staggered out of the vines; she then realized who it was before her, and stopped, staring in bewilderment.

"Carla?" She spluttered, in amazement. Carla grinned at Bromeliad, before quickly giving her friend a hug. Forgetting the situation, Bromeliad began asking a thousand questions. She looked around Carla, feeling delight as she caught sight of Orchid. "Did you find it? Where's Bia and Azure? What -" Carla couldn't answer them all - rolling her eyes in amusement, she put up her wings to silence Bromeliad.

"They found it, okay? They're finding mom as we speak - but we don't have time for a real talk. Let's get out of here, quickly, and we can talk afterwards!"

Meanwhile, Isabella let out a high-pitched cry, upon seeing Bruno. Bruno spun recognising it - before running to her. "Mom!" He exclaimed, running straight into his mother's wings. "I'm sorry for not telling you - you can ground me if you want -"

"Oh, I don't care, Bruno! I'm just happy you're here and safe!" Isabella replied, in sheer joy. Their reunification was brief, for the Hyacinths snapped out of their trances, beginning to put in more effort abd try and force their way past the adults, who fought to keep them back. Meanwhile, Bromeliad and Isaac ran to their sister, sweeping her off her feet in a joint hug. Like Bruno being reunited with his mother, they didn't have time for it to be proper - they had to go.

Tiago, Orchid, Bruno, Carla, Bromeliad and Isaac spun round, where the crowd of kids were now mere specks, in the safety of the Blue-and-Golds. They were shouting for them to run. The guides immediately obeyed their urging, spinning and flying as fast as they could. The remaining six, with Adele and Leti, followed close behind, with the Hyacinths in hot pursuit.

Their hearts were beating like insect wings, as they flew for their lives. The flowered trees were in sight - a swathe of Blue-and-Gold macaws were now visible, outnumbering the Hyacinths. They were there at the border, surrounding the kids, and were also shouting for them to fly faster. They were almost there - the adults crossed the border, and Bruno, who had been at Isabella's side and was a faster flier.

Suddenly, there was a powerful gust of wind. The teenagers were alright - but the two chicks were light, and had to grab onto something. Leti was faster, and grabbed Isaac by the tail before she was blown away. But Adele was too slow. She went tumbling far behind - straight into the talons of the closest Hyacinth, the scarred male, with a petrified shriek. The teenagers gasped, and stopped, spinning around to stare in horror. The Hyacinth began laughing, triumphantly, claws wrapped tightly into Adele - she began wailing and screaming in terror, struggling to free herself, brown eyes wild with fear. Leti to began shrieking her sister's name, trying to fight out of Isaac's grasp to reach her, but he couldn't let her go - she'd get herself killed. But then something happened.

Orchid shoved past Tiago, ignoring his protests. "Orchid, no!" He cried, trying to reach out and stop her, but she was flying straight at the Hyacinth holding Adele. Orchid let out a shriek of anger.

"You let her go, you dirty creature!" Orchid demanded, desperate to free the defenceless chick. She lunged, straight for the Hyacinth's face, lashing out with her talons. It cried out in pain, and, after a few moments, it dropped Adele, reaching up to pry Orchid off. Adele frantically flew away, diving into Bromeliad's wings.

"Go on Adele, Leti!" Bromeliad ordered. Luckily, the two sisters didn't hesitate, and flew straight into the flowered trees. Bromeliad snapped back around, expecting Orchid to be right in front of them, but Orchid wasn't. To their horror, the Hyacinth had snagged her from the air, had pinned her against a tree trunk. Orchid's courage was now gone - she was struggling to breathe, with the Hyacinth's talons on her throat. She began coughing, trying to push him away, but she was too weak. It loomed over her, eyes blazing with indescribable rage.

"Big mistake, little bird!" He declared, the blood from Orchid's inflicted wounds beginning to run down his feathers. He was breathing heavily, and he looked terrifying with his bloodied face, the blood that was collecting in his scars. His grip on Orchid's throat tightened. "Your efforts are put to waste - your tribe will fall!" Below him, Orchid glared back, struggling to get free. She loosened his grip on her throat, enough so that she could speak.

"Never!" Orchid declared, fiercely. She then spat at his eyes, the only defence she had in her helpless situation. That did it. With an enraged shriek and without hesitation, the scarred Hyacinth scored his claws over the right side of Orchid's face.


	40. Stolen away

"Oh, no. Oh no." Bia kept whispering, as they flew through the forest. Azure kept looking back at her, with similar fear. They could hear it now. The shrieking of four species - Spix's, Scarlet, Green-Winged, and Hyacinth. And it was all getting louder, in the direction of Bia's and Azure's home.

"Stay calm..." Azure tried to reassure her, but he could barely keep himself from freaking out. This was bad - very bad. His father, his mother - to his knowledge they were both there. And how were they going to get to Jewel? It would be a nightmare to get through the fight unnoticed. What if the flowers got damaged? Would they lose their power? This was a terrible thought - after everything, it would be ruined on the last minute.

"I don't know if I can..." Bia admitted, shakily. "I feel like I'm about to have a panic attack..." Her heart was beating too fast. They had no idea what was happening to Carla, Bruno, Tiago, and Orchid - they had no idea whether Jewel was even still alive - they had no idea who was in the battle. What if someone they loved was injured, or even killed? All of Bia's family were at the top of Kerja's kill list, and all of Azure's siblings were out in the Hyacinth-riddled rainforest. Roberto and Sophia had to be in the fight, but Azure had an odd feeling about his mother. When the two young Hyacinths in the Kapoks had mentioned her, there was something about the way the female had desperately shushed the male as he mentioned Sophia. Had something happened to her? He tried not to think about it.

"Do you think Eduardo would've let Jewel stay in the ravine?" Azure asked, suddenly. He had only said it in hope that they wouldn't have to go through that ravine, but then he realized. It actually made sense - what would be the point in keeping Jewel hidden in the middle of a battle of warring macaws, and Hyacinths who were hunting her? Surely someone would have the sense to suggest that Jewel be moved? Bia was thinking the same - would Jewel have been relocated to the Blue-and-Golds? But then that would be difficult and too dangerous, to move her that far with the trespassers lurking around every corner. Maybe it was as simple as hiding out in the rainforest.

Suddenly, Bia and Azure were made aware of a distant flapping sound, and panting. It was approaching rapidly. Their first instinct was to hide, but then they caught a glimpse of light blue, green, and yellow. They recognized Johanna as she exploded from the leaves, looking determined and on a mission. She looked quickly at them. "Hey, you kids should be with my tribe, what are you -" Johanna then gasped, recognizing them. She halted in flight, staring at the two. "Bia and Azure?" She asked, in shock.

"Johanna, what are you doing here?" Azure asked, in surprise. This was a battle, the last place they'd expect someone like Johanna to be. The Blue-and-Gold looked so shocked and surprised, it actually looked a bit funny. She shook her head, as if not quite believing they were there.

"I, I - I was caring for Jewel, while you were... away." Johanna's eyes travelled to the bag clutched in Bia's talons. Her eyes widened. "Did you... find it?" She asked, quietly. Bia looked up at Johanna, before reaching into the bag - then she revealed the glowing blue flower. Johanna was silent, as she stared at the flower. She swayed slightly. "I don't believe it." She murmured, shaking her head. "They called my mother crazy for believing it, and it's real..." Johanna looked over her shoulder, where there was the sound of battle, before looking back. "Blu took Jewel north-east, in the palm grove. They're hiding out there - but you must hurry. She isn't well at all."

"The north-east palm grove?" Asked Bia, picturing it in her mind. She looked at Azure, before looking back at Johanna with gratitude. "Thank you - let's go, Azure."

"Be careful!" Johanna warned, before turning and flying away. Bia and Azure didn't watch her go - instead, they made a beeline for the north-east palms. In Bia's head, Johanna's words repeated. _She isn't well at all. _Bia and Azure both knew what that meant, and Bia was getting more frightened by the minute. They flew along the outskirts of the ravine, the fastest way, and the dreadful sound of shrieking sounded in their ears. Suddenly, Azure stopped. He was staring through some ferns, looking horrified.

Bia paused, and went to his side, wondering what he was looking at - then she regretted it. In the fern gap, they caught a glimpse of the ravine. It was filled with a mass of cerulean, red and dark blue. Talons and beaks tore, and weapons, human and natural, were thrown and struck. Macaws they recognized were being attacked - Azure then let out a strangled sound. Roberto was in the middle of a fight - dodging two Hyacinths, and diving in to strike, only to get clawed. Azure suddenly ran forwards, but then stopped himself when he saw Felipe and Eduardo, flying in from nowhere. He felt the desperation to go and help his father, but resisted. Roberto was fine for now - Blu and Jewel needed help more than he did. Breathing in, Azure turned, trying not to look back. "Let's get to Jewel." He said, before looking over his shoulder with a pained expression. Bia felt a flash of sympathy, and gave him a hug of reassurance, before they both headed for the north-east palms. But as they neared it, Bia froze at two terrified squawks.

"That was mom and dad." She whispered. Bia and Azure looked at one another, fearfully, before remembering Kerja's plot.

_Meanwhile_

Blu flew faster than he ever had before, carrying Jewel, aware of the heavy wingbeats behind him. Kerja flew in hot pursuit, the pocket knife blade turned out and ready to stab. "You may as well give up! She's already dead, anyway..." Blu stole a look over his shoulder. He had never hated anyone this much - except for that mess with Nigel. Did he hate Kerja more than Nigel? Kerja was much, much worse - she had tortured Sophia, killed countless other innocents. Now she trying to kill Jewel, just to hurt Eduardo. She was, indeed, worse than Nigel.

Behind them, Kerja was gaining on her targets. Her mind had warped since beginning the chase. Before, she had been straight-thinking and calculated, but now her head was in pieces. She was blinded by desperation, the thrill of the hunt. She couldn't wait to use the pocket knife again - Eduardo would crumble, as would Mimi and the grandchildren. It would be a glorious sight to behold - she pictured her entry to the ravine. The corpses of Blu and Jewel in both talons, she would shout it out - they were dead. She imagined Eduardo's shriek of grief, Mimi's tears. They would be feeling exactly like she had, all those years ago, when Kerja had seen her slain father's corpse. Then she would kill the rest of them - Eduardo, Mimi, and then they'd track down the three kids. Or maybe they'd leave the kids - let them live with the grief of losing their family.

Blu was beginning to get exhausted, but he forced himself to fly faster. _This can't be how it ends - after everything we've gone through, it can't be._ Blu looked ahead, and suddenly realized that he was flying directly into some criss-crossing branches and creepers. He gasped, and, realizing he couldn't afford slowing down, flew for the biggest gap in the plant matter. He threw Jewel forward, through the gap, before hastily following. Jewel plummeted, wings flailing as she fell, but Blu swept down and caught her again. He looked over his shoulder, breathing heavily, where Kerja was shrieking in frustration. She hovered before the gap, trying and failing to fit through. Distracted from her hunt, Kerja tore her eyes away from Blu and Jewel, and began angrily tearing her way through the vines.

Blu desperately looked around, before spotting something. There was a mound of earth, with a hole - it was likely the home of a burrowing animal, but it looked old and unused - it would have to do. Blu flew quickly into the hole, and he put Jewel down, before they cowered there, petrified. Jewel was silent, half collapsed behind him, struggling to breathe. Blu watched the entrance, eyes wide with an unspeakable terror. The leaves on the forest floor suddenly moved, and a thunderous body dropped down. His heart leapt into his throat, and he backed up, wings spread to shield Jewel.

Outside, Kerja paced the forest floor. A strange sound, like a growl, emerged from her throat. It didn't sound macaw. "I know you're around here somewhere... you can't hide." She was thrusting her head into bushes, shoving rocks and leaves out of her way, scanning the trees with her sharp, penetrating eyes. Then she halted. She was turned in their direction, but Blu couldn't tell whether she was looking at their spot. She walked over to the earth mound, and then, for some reason, began to claw her way up it. The earth above them shuddered, and Jewel stumbled weakly to him, throwing her wings around him and beginning to shed some silent tears. Blu cradled her in his wings, eyes closed, feeling her weakening heartbeat as Kerja spoke again.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Snarled Kerja, through the soil above them. "Do you honestly think it's worth escaping, when she's half-dead already?" The earth above them shook again, and a few bits of soil fell. Kerja then hissed. "Do you want to share the same fate as Mina?" She asked. Blu's head snapped up, remembering what Roberto had told him, how Mina had been buried alive. Suddenly, there was the sound of an impact on the ground above.

Above them, soil and pebbles began raining down. Jewel let out a petrified shriek, and staggered toward the entrance, dragging Blu with her. Recovering from the shock, Blu began shoving her forward, ahead of him, as earth continued falling. Then they both tripped, crashing and tumbling from the burrow, with Blu coughing on soil and Jewel on soil and blood. They both lay there, sprawled at the collapsed burrow entrance, blinking away dust. Then the leaves around them shook.

Kerja landed heavily before Blu and Jewel, and the pocket knife reappeared. She glared down at the two macaws before her. Blu sprang to his feet, and leapt in front of Jewel, who desperately crawled backwards, toward the burrow, crumpling at it. Kerja wrinkled her beak, as if in distaste, as she saw Blu blocking her path to Jewel. "Stand aside." She ordered. Blu didn't say a word, but he only dug his talons into the ground. "I told you before. Move it."

"Over my dead body." Blu hissed, in a voice he didn't recognize. He spun round to Jewel. "Run!" He begged, before turning to face Kerja. Jewel tried to run, but she was too weak. She stumbled a few paces, before she fell again, eyes half-shut. Blu knew he couldn't just stand there - he had to act. Kerja then bolted for Jewel, squawking as she did. Blu intercepted, and hooked his talons onto Kerja's left wing. Distracted, Kerja's focus on Jewel broke, as she tried to dislodge him. Blu began clawing at the back of Kerja's neck and back, where she couldn't reach him. The large Hyacinth staggered, shrieking in anger, while Blu continued ripping out feathers - despite how much he hated her, he couldn't bring himself to shed blood.

Despite his efforts, Blu was soon overpowered. Kerja caught hold of him, and, in anger, threw him away. Blu crashed against a large boulder, his shrieks cutting off. Slowly, he slithered down the rock face, to the ground, his breathing slowing as the impact rendered him unconscious. Jewel let out a strangled cry. "Blu!" She began stumbling toward him through blurred vision, but then a body crashed into her side. Jewel gasped as she hit the hard forest floor; in her head, her mother's voice was shouting for her to get up. But Jewel's body wasn't communicating with her mind. That link had been shattered.

Kerja stalked to Jewel, who struggled to rise, but Kerja slammed a talon onto her side to keep her still. Jewel tried to crawl away, but Kerja's weight was too much. After a moment of struggle, she went limp, eyes closing in exhaustion. She was done. She couldn't get away - this was it. Kerja seized her pocket knife, and turned out the blade. The moment she rose it, however, there was a shriek of protest. She looked up at Blu, surprised, but he was still unconscious, only moving slightly as he began to regain consciousness. Then a feathered comet came out of nowhere.

Azure crashed, headfirst, into Kerja's chest. Kerja didn't expect it, and she was torn away from Jewel. She and Azure went flying, tumbling across the ground, in a whirlwind of light and dark blue, with an occasional glimpse of paint and yellow from Kerja. Bia lighted down, before rushing to Jewel. Bia was shocked by Jewel's appearance, but she was only concerned for her health. "Mom..." she turned Jewel over, praying that they weren't too late - to her relief, Jewel was still breathing. Behind her, she heard a moan. Bia turned, and gasped, as she saw her father, stirring at the foot of a boulder. "Dad?" At her voice, Blu's eyes opened, and then he rose shakily, stumbling a bit, before remembering what was happening.

"Bia?" He asked, incredulously, before rubbing his head, wincing a bit at the pain. Blu then remembered Jewel, and ran back to them both. Upon arrival, he swept Bia into a hug. He hadn't seen her in weeks, and he had so many questions. "Are you alright? Where are Carla and Tiago, and the others?"

"They're all in the Blue-and-Golds, helping the kids get there." Bia replied, feeling a wave of joy at being with both parents again. Finally, Blu let her - his eyes held the silent question, as he caught sight of Bia's bag. She nodded. Suddenly, there was a woosh of air, and a frustrated squawking. Turning they saw that Kerja - and Azure - were gone. "Azure?" Bia stared at the empty space, and then she heard his voice, fading through the trees.

"Let me go, you piece of work! Someone help me - Bia!" Azure's cries were fading in direction of the ravine. Kerja was taking him away. Horrified, Bia shoved the bag at Blu's chest.

"Dad, feed her all five petals from one flower. I got to -"

"Yes, yes - go. Are you sure you can -" but Blu couldn't finish. Bia was gone, tearing after Kerja and Azure, shouting Azure's name. "Bia, wait!" He protested, knowing it wasn't safe. But then, behind him, Jewel whispered something inaudible. Blu was torn between his daughter and mate - but then he realized which situation was more dire. Focusing on Jewel, Blu reached into the bag. He fumbled around, past pencils and paper - then his talons brushed something that felt like a plant. Blu was momentarily mesmerized by the teardrop-like, vibrant blue petals and the sheer beauty of the flower, before he shook his head in disbelief. Tears of relief flooded his eyes, and Blu felt his heart fill with hope - something he hadn't felt for weeks.

With that, Blu fed Jewel the petals, and held onto her wings as he waited for the magic to work.


	41. Falling

Jewel's eyes remained closed, but a new look appeared on her face. It was a frown. Something bizarre was happening. For almost a month, she had been in constant, agonizing pain that got worse as more time passed. It begun from her foot, the wounded one with which she had stepped into the sick Orange-Winged Amazon's blood. She remembered stepping on that thorn beforehand, and the little scab that had come with it - that little wound had exposed her. But now, Jewel sensed that it was slowly shrinking. The disease had been in every corner of her body, from head to talon, but now it was all seeping away, toward her injured foot.

All the pain was leaking away, all the sickness she had felt - the sensation within her skull, as though it were filled with insects, was gone. Blu watched, in amazement, as the black skin under Jewel's feathers sank down to her foot. Then, from that wound, something black and surrounded by a fierce, glowing blue shell came out. The black was tiny, and was shrinking as the blue shell ate it away. Finally, the orb vibrated, and then it froze, all traces of black gone. Then the orb began to evaporate, almost - it spread a few centimetres, before it finally faded from existence. Blinking, Blu turned over Jewel's talon, looked at the wound - the scab shrank into itself, until it was gone. Even the dried blood that had stained the area around her eyes, beak and ears was vanished.

Jewel then opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, not quite believing what had just happened - then she turned her head, saw a blurry, yet rapidly clearing outline. As her vision completely cleared, she knew who it was at her side. "Blu?" She asked, in the voice she hadn't used for a month. It was strong, just like how she used to speak.

"Jewel?" Blu asked, still looking full of disbelief. Strength filling her bones, Jewel leapt to her talons. Finally, Blu realized that this was all real, not a dream. "Jewel!" He exclaimed, running toward her with outstretched wings. Jewel rushed to her mate, who picked her up by the waist and swung her above him. When her talons touched the ground again, Jewel flung her wings around him, eyes closed. She couldn't believe how well she felt - it was as though she had never been sick.

"What... what happened?" She asked, holding his face, before giving him a kiss. Blu, with delight, held up a bag, made of sewn pieces of sack.

"Our kids." He said. "I didn't see Carla and Tiago, but Bia said they were helping the evacuated kids - they all went to Peru and found the flower, Jewel. I know, it's a myth, but it's not!" He held up the remains of a flower stalk. Jewel gazed at it, not believing it.

"Unbelievable... I have to see them, and Dad, and Mimi -"

"Um..." Blu shuffled his talons. Jewel then remembered, and her high spirits fell flat.

"The battle?" She asked, in bewilderment. Blu nodded with a sombre look. She frowned, and looked around. "I passed out after Kerja found us..." Jewel then looked up at Blu, seeing his mortified expression. "Oh, no... what happened after I passed out?"

_Meanwhile_

Bia flew after Kerja and Azure, not once looking back or slowing down. This couldn't happen. They had just saved Jewel, but she couldn't lose Azure. Not now, not ever. "Let him go!" She pleaded, trying to keep up - but she was useless. Her small wings didn't get her anywhere fast, and Kerja's wings were practically monstrous in size. Bia had no chance of catching up with Kerja and Azure, who was locked in the Hyacinth's grasp. Soon, they were out of her sight.

Azure struggled fiercely in Kerja's talons, which were digging so hard into him they were drawing blood. He bit back a cry of pain; he couldn't look weak and scared in front of Kerja, so he began shouting every curse he knew, the ones his mother cuffed him with her wing for. Kerja was breathing rapidly, as though she were panicking. "I'm telling you now, you murderous, vile -" Azure had a wide choice of what to call Kerja, but struggled in picking one. _"Thing!"_ He decided. "If you don't let me go -" suddenly, Kerja let out an outraged squawk. She seized him, turning him upwards and yanking him up to her face. Azure flinched, afraid and disgusted as splittle flew into his eyes.

_"I'm telling you now! If you don't let me go!"_ Kerja mimicked, furiously. Azure felt her claws embedding into his neck, and his talons reached up in an attempt to pry them away, but Kerja's grip was iron. Kerja began talking very quickly, her voice becoming more high-pitched and uncontrolled with each word. "You are a horrible species!" Kerja declared. "You ruin everything - you help each other! Why on earth would you help Jewel, the daughter of a murderer?"

"Eduardo isn't a murderer!" Azure retorted, bravely. "And of course I'd help her! We're not selfish - we look out for each other, unlike your species!"

"It was the perfect plan!" Kerja went on, totally ignoring him. "I kill Jewel, and devastate that wretched family! I would've killed all those precious to Eduardo, made him feel the grief I felt, until I would've killed him! And kids like you ruin everything!" Kerja was beginning to really frighten Azure, now. She squinted down at him. "I know you... you're one of what's his name and Sophia's lot, aren't you? That's great. Your momma thought her family was off the hook after she got out -"

"What?" Asked Azure, startled. "What did you do to my mom?"

"Shut it!" Kerja snapped; then the sounds of battle filled Azure's ears. Why had Kerja brought him to the ravine? Azure writhed in Kerja's claws as she entered the battle scene from the trees. They flew down the cliff, unnoticed - then Kerja threw him down, onto a large rock ledge. Before he could move, though, her talons slammed onto the back of his neck, dragged him painfully to his feet. Kerja then wrenched his head back, and her pocket knife blade pressed against his throat. Azure froze.

"Enough!" Kerja screeched, in an ear-shattering voice. Everyone stopped fighting - even the Hyacinths. They all turned to see where Kerja's voice had come from, and saw what was going on. "Every single one of you mangy Spix's and Red macaws drop your weapons and look this way - or his head comes off!"

_No, no!_ Thought Azure, in terror. Not only was he petrified, but terribly ashamed. Was his tribe about to be driven out because of him? At first, nothing happened, for nobody recognized the macaw Kerja held. But then someone did. Roberto shoved through the crowd.

"Azure!" Roberto shouted, darting forwards, but then Hyacinths launched themselves forwards, seizing his wings to hold him back. Roberto struggled fiercely, desperate to reach his son, but then one Hyacinth held a knife to his throat.

"Back up, man." It hissed. Roberto refused, still trying to free himself and get to Azure.

"I'm alright, dad, just -" Azure tried to finish his sentence, but Kerja pressed the blade harder, so that a thin trail of blood began to run, and he didn't say speak anymore. Felipe flew to Roberto, whispering in his ear.

"Look, if you do something stupid, she might kill him before you can save him. Just back off." He advised, looking anxious. Roberto looked as though he were about to protest, before looking back at Azure with a pained expression. Azure tried to nod slightly, but stopped when Kerja's blade cut further.

"Dad, please, listen." Azure said, quietly. "Do it." Roberto didn't move for along time. Then, slowly, he backed away to hover by Felipe and Azalea. He didn't take his mortified expression off Azure.

"That's better. Now, where is he?" Kerja snarled, eyes raking through the crowd. Slowly, some macaws separated, as Eduardo flew to the front of the sea of birds. He looked at Kerja and Azure; then he looked around the ravine. If Azure was here, that meant the rest of them, and his grandchildren, could be here. He scolded himself privately for thinking about his own priorities - Azure's life was in the talons of a murderer and maniac. "Listen up! You have a choice. You can give me Eduardo and I'll let this poor boy go. Or you can keep your murderer leader and I can cut this kid's head off." Neither Spix's or Red tribe moved. Roberto looked horrified; but then his eyes slowly moved to Eduardo. He was thinking about it, and he wasn't the only one.

"Eduardo..." Mimi whispered to herself, from the waterfall cave. She was watching with the other guards, horrified by what they saw. "You can't..."

"Eduardo, I strongly don't think you should..." someone tried to say, but Eduardo held up his wings.

"No. It's my fault we're all here, so I must be the one to pay the price." Eduardo said, shaking his head. He looked across the ravine - before he flew through his stunned tribe. Hyacinths swarmed forwards, surrounding him. Eduardo managed to conceal his fear, and looked out, trying to look unafraid. "Now, Kerja - you have what you want. Let Azure go." But Kerja didn't. Her grip on Azure didn't subdue, and the blade still pressed against his neck. Azure clenched his beak, and trembled.

"Kerja..." Roberto said, slowly. Kerja didn't move.

"I'm going to show you something, Roberto. This is what would've happened to your little mate, had you not saved her." Azure didn't know what they had done to Sophia. But he knew what Kerja was going to do. He gasped, and began struggling and trying not to burst into tears. Roberto screeched, and launched himself forward, but Hyacinths leapt forward and restrained him. Eduardo tried to act, but a weapon was held to his throat. "Say goodbye to your -" but Kerja didn't finish. A line of two or three dozen macaws appeared along the cliff tops, blue and yellow, with green heads. Johanna let out a squawk, before the line of Blue-and-Gold macaws surged into the ravine, throwing fruit at the Hyacinths.

Kerja gasped, seeing the newcomers. Azure finally saw an opportunity, and shoved the knife away from his throat, breaking free. Roberto tried to reach his son, aided by Eduardo, but they could not, as Hyacinths did their best to keep them back. Azure tried to make a break for it, but Kerja grabbed him before he could, and threw him against the rock face. Azure groaned, feeling the pain in his head - then his life flashed before him as Kerja rose the knife.

Bia finally reached the ravine, panting and out of her mind with worry. At first, she was bewildered by what was going on. Fruit flew from Blue-and-Gold macaw talons, hitting Hyacinths and sending them fleeing, while Spix's and Reds continued fighting. She was relieved to see that more and more Hyacinths were flying from the battle - then something below her caught her eye. Kerja was standing over Azure, with her knife in talon.

Bia didn't think - she just threw herself down the cliff face, wings folded against her, diving toward Kerja. She crashed onto the Hyacinth, who, in surprise, dropped the knife. It clattered across the stone, coming to rest at the edge. Kerja staggered away, picking it back up before it fell, and turned to see what she was dealing with. Bia was helping Azure to his feet, and, forgetting Kerja, hugged him. "Azure, are you okay?" She asked, looking down at the wound on his neck. Azure was nodding frantically.

"I know you." Kerja interrupted. Bia and Azure turned to face her. Kerja's maddened eyes were fixed on Bia. "You're Eduardo's granddaughter, aren't you?" Bia looked at Azure, bewildered. He stared back. Before they could move, Kerja sprang forward, stabbing and slashing wildly with her knife. Azure shoved Bia, and they both fell to the floor. Kerja tried again, but Bia and Azure rolled in opposite directions, and instead of flesh, the knife hit a crack in the stone ledge. The knife had come down with such a force it was now wedged there, and Kerja couldn't pull it free. She struggled in vain, trying with both talons, but it didn't give. She glared at it in frustration - she'd deal with it later.

Giving up, Kerja whirled back round, towering over Bia. Bia lay there on the floor, cowering in fear, but then Azure leapt up, clawing Kerja on the back of the head. Enraged, Kerja tore her eyes from Bia, turning and launching herself at the young male. Bia's instinct was to attack Kerja to help Azure, but then she caught sight of the knife, sticking from the rock crack. Desperate, Bia ran to it, scrabbling at pebbles, roots, and traces of soil to try and loosen the blade from the rock crevice, glancing from it to Kerja and Azure, who were now rolling across the rock ledge, claws flying.

Bia could hear the shouting voices of Eduardo and Roberto, telling them both to flee, but by now, the blade had loosened from the crack. Bia seized the handle, and began pulling with all her might. At first, the knife didn't move, but then it began to shudder and give way. Finally, Bia freed the blade from the rock crack, and she held the pocket knife up. It didn't feel natural, at all. It was sinister and didn't belong here, but it was the only defence they had. She turned, holding it up.

"Kerja!" Bia said, sharply. Kerja looked over her shoulder, from where she was facing Azure, then she looked mortified, seeing what Bia had. She blinked several times.

"You little -" Kerja began, but then Azure threw himself at her chest. Kerja lost her balance and went flying, and was knocked onto her back. But before she could get up, Bia sprang to her neck, and pressed the knife to her windpipe - she didn't want to kill her, but Bia had to immobilize her somehow. Bia pressed the blade as hard as she dared, flinching as it cut into Kerja's neck - but she had to do it. Two teenagers obviously wouldn't be able to pin her down any other way, so doing something like this would stop her moving. Kerja couldn't move anywhere or push Bia away without the knife cutting dangerously. Kerja froze - and so did the battle. Hyacinths turned, and so did the other three tribes. Instead of flying over to help their matriarch, the Hyacinths didn't move. Bia looked up, looking over the crowd. Maybe this could end peacefully.

"Don't any of you realize that she's using you?" She shouted. Bia looked down at Kerja. She had to convince these Hyacinths that their leader wasn't as genuine as she made out. "She doesn't truly want territory for you all - that just comes with it. She only wants you all to risk your lives in driving out the other tribes, so that she can find an excuse for revenge! Can't you all see it?" Bia hoped they would see sense in her words. She looked at Eduardo. "My grandfather made a terrible mistake - he didn't do it out of spite. You need to all see that - there is no need for fighting. There is plenty of free land in the sanctuary - it's not all ours. You can all live in safety, without bloodshed."

"She's lying!" Kerja protested, but there was unmistakable guilt in her voice. The Hyacinths in the crowd, however, were glued to Bia. Some looked unconvinced. But there were others who looked angry - their glares directed at Kerja. Bia felt some hope - could this end it all?

Bia rose her voice again. "All of you. You must go and live normal lives - because she isn't normal. Honestly, she's just a fake. She doesn't really care." This was enough to convince the doubtful crowd members. Kerja looked horrified as her tribe members turned, and flew for the entrance, dropping their human weapons into the plunge pool below.

"You traitors!" Kerja roared, struggling against Bia and Azure, but was unsuccessful, too afraid of the knife on her throat - it was dangerously close to a main artery, but Bia was careful. Bia and Azure overlooked the crowd; now, the other tribes outnumbered the remaining Hyacinths. They could drive the rest out easily.

"It's over, Kerja." Bia said, simply. "Just go home." She then caught sight of the tooth, and feathered necklace - the ones of tribes Kerja had driven out. Bia felt a wave of disgust. She moved the blade away from Kerja's throat, and, without hesitation, severed the necklace string. Without taking her eyes off Kerja and Azure, Bia threw both the necklace and the knife over her shoulder. The two items fell through the air, and, after a few moments, Bia heard the splash of water as they hit the surface of the plunge pool. She looked over the edge, and watched them sink from sight. There was a long silence.

"Let's go, Bia." A wing touched her shoulder, and Bia turned to look at Azure. He looked nervously at Kerja, who was staring at Bia as though she were a ghost. Bia had destroyed her trophy necklace, and her last memory of her father.

Bia nodded at Azure, and they both walked toward the rock edge, preparing to fly. Behind them, however, Kerja had silently risen to her feet. She looked at Eduardo, who was looking at his granddaughter in relief. She felt a flash of outrage. Without thinking, Kerja ran toward Bia, wings and talons outstretched. Bia heard the sound of talons, and turned to look, and let out a startled cry as Kerja crashed into her. Azure was alarmed by the commotion at his side, but when he looked, his alarm turned to pure horror. He leapt forward, reached for Bia's wing, but missed by centimetres. Bia and Kerja toppled over the edge of the rock, and began plummeting. Bia tried to free herself of Kerja's grasp, but she couldn't. Kerja's talons were holding onto her wing, and she was trying to break it, twisting and pulling at it. Luckily, her wing didn't break, but Kerja still didn't release her.

"Let me go!" Bia cried, but Kerja refused, with a face filled with mania. Bia clawed at her, but it wasn't enough. Kerja held her up to her face, screeching at her as they fell.

"If I can't kill your mother, I'll kill you!" She declared. Before Bia could reply, however, she and Kerja plunged into the water below.


	42. Water

Bia was shocked by the cold of water. This was strange, since the Amazon was in constant heat and humidity, but it did feel cold. She couldn't believe it - it was so ironic. She blinked under the water, feeling it stinging her eyes. The plunge pool was very deep here, Mimi had told her that. It was shallow along the tree line, only a foot or so deep, but in the main plunge pool and along the waterfall and the cliffs, it was deepest, maybe over eight metres deep. It was dark, and Bia could see the odd silver flash of fish scales near the surface. The plunge pool bed was sandy and had pebbles, and was far below them. Breaking out of her trance, Bia frantically made for the surface, with one word repeating in her mind. _Air. Air. _She couldn't breathe.

Bia was then made aware of talons, tightly wrapped around her throat. She writhed under the water, and squinted at Kerja. A faint red, white and black cloud was hanging around her, from her heavy layers of paint. Bia then saw the bald patches and full extent of the scarring. Blue was amung the faint cloud colours - Bia had heard that Kerja used it to cover her bald patches and worst scars, and now Bia saw many patches of skin and new scars she hadn't noticed before - for one, a half-healed trio marking her face, and more criss-crossing her chest. And Kerja looked absolutely livid.

Recovering from seeing Kerja's new, true appearance, Bia realized once again that she couldn't breathe, and Kerja's grip on her throat made it feel worse. Bia floundered under the water, struggling and shoving at Kerja, but no matter what, Kerja didn't budge. But then Kerja was suffering the consequences of the water, like Bia. Her eye whites went pink, and her grasp was loosening - by now, Bia's lungs were screaming for air. Kerja, meanwhile, regretted her decision of the water plunge. Shoving Bia away, Kerja struggled for the surface, but her feathers weighed her down, and she was dragged several feet lower than Bia. But then something caught her, began pulling her. Kerja flailed her wings and talons as the lower current suddenly wrapped around her, and it began to swiftly carry her faster and lower. She tried to swim, but her feathers refused movement. Birds couldn't swim, afterall. Kerja snagged her claws on Bia's tail in an attempt to gain level and near the surface, but instead, they were both dragged into the current and swiftly carried out of the plunge pool.

Meanwhile, above the surface, chaos had erupted. Spix's, Red and Blue-and-Gold macaws hovered over the place where Bia and Kerja had fallen, while the few remaining Hyacinths were losing it. They were flying around the surface, trying to see their leader, but the water was too dark, as were Kerja's feathers. Azure, Eduardo and Mimi were desperately flying closest to the surface, frantically trying to spot Bia. Azure was filled and consumed by an unbelievable terror. He couldn't see Bia anymore, and he kept calling her name. Roberto, seeing Azure's state and desperate to save his friends' daughter, began trying to organize a 'macaw chain' to go into the water, but while there were many volunteers, organization was all over the place. There was too much panic, and a chain wasn't practical, since their wings weren't designed to form such links.

"Everybody!" Shouted Eduardo, upon realization that Bia and Kerja had to be long gone by now. He looked anxiously into the exit, where the plunge pool trickled into a stream. "There is a current in the plunge pool that goes into the rainforest! I, Mimi, Roberto and Azure will go down there now to try and find Bia, while everyone else here deals with the rest of the Hyacinths, agreed?"

"We'll take care of things here!" Felipe insisted, turning to glare at the remaining ones, who were beginning their attack again, squaring up to the crowd members on the edge of the circle. A younger one that was barely an early teenager timidly approached Azalea, with a small stone grasped in it's claws. Azalea shook her head, putting her wing out.

"Hey, you're far too young to be in a fight. Get out of here, and go find your parents." The chick hesitated briefly, before almost looking gratefully at Azalea. It turned and flew out of the ravine. Her frown of worry returning with what had just happened to Bia and Kerja, Azalea turned to Johanna. "What about your tribe, and the evacuees? And are Adele and Leti alright?"

"They'll be fine, and Adele and Leti got there too. Alejandro and the majority of the tribe are there - goodness me, that reminds me -" Johanna then gasped, as she remembered the scenario with Adele, and what had happened to Orchid. "Roberto, Azure, something has happened to -"

"We have to go!" Mimi cried, interrupting. "The sooner we find Bia, the better!" Johanna looked at Mimi, irritated by this interruption, and then she rushed up to Roberto, whispering urgently in his ear and looking serious. Roberto's eyes widened, and before anyone could ask, he turned and flew from the ravine. Azure wanted to ask Johanna what was so important, but instead, he followed Eduardo and Mimi. Whatever had happened would have to wait - now, he was fighting the panic within him.

While this was happening, Bia and Kerja were being swiftly carried from the ravine. Had it not been for the power of the current, they would've sank and drowned long ago - but now Kerja was trying to drown her. Bia kept breaking the surface, gasping for air, but then Kerja would pull her back under the water, to try and keep her there. Bia then felt pebbles brush her wing, and realized how close they were to the bank. This could be her one chance to get to safety - if they kept going downstream, they'd end up in the deeper streams or even the main river, where piranhas and other predatory animals infested the water. Here, it was too shallow, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.

"I'm serious! Get off!" Bia spat, trying to hit Kerja with her wings, but they were weighed down with water. "You'll kill us both!"

"No!" Kerja snarled, her grasp remaining the same. Bia glared at Kerja, before she reached down to the talons around her neck. She felt like a savage, but it was only way. She remembered Jewel teaching her, Carla and Tiago this, should something grab onto them - this was the best way to get something to let go. Bia bit down hard with her beak, and Kerja screeched in pain, shaking her foot to dislodge Bia, but she only bit harder, until she tasted blood. That finally did it. Kerja's claws released Bia, and at that moment, Bia felt something brush her claws. Before she could be swept past, Bia snagged her claws on whatever it was - it felt like a root. Talons scrapped at her, but Kerja lost her grasp. Bia looked over her shoulder, expecting the monstrous Hyacinth to still be there - but, to her surprise and relief, Kerja was no where to be seen, and all she saw was rushing water. At first, Bia couldn't believe it - Kerja was gone. Then she felt the water, realized that she had to get out before the root snapped.

Bia dragged herself through the water, claws digging into the root beneath her, determined not to let go. As she got closer to safety, Bia began feeling the exhaustion creeping through her. Finally, she felt the sand and pebbles beneath her feet, and she no longer felt the pull of the current. Bia finally let go of the root, and stepped onto the soft mud of the bank. She stood there, head tipped back toward the sky, where raindrops were beginning to fall, where lightening lit up the sky, signalling the beginning of a thunderstorm. It was just like when she and Azure had escaped that fire, onto the safety of the water and the lilypads, months ago. Exhausted and feeling pain from her wounds, Bia collapsed onto the mud, closing her eyes.

_Meanwhile_

Blu struggled to keep up with Jewel, who was flying incredibly fast despite the heavy downpour. They were struggling to fly through the rain, but Jewel was still determined to get to the ravine, whatever the weather. They were mostly flying under trees, but the rain was still coming down through the leaves, making their flying difficult. It was especially hard for Blu, as while he was now a good flier, he wasn't used to flying in all conditions like Jewel. "Jewel, slow down! You need to rest after-"

"Blu, our tribe is fighting!" Jewel replied, fiercely, looking over her shoulder. "My dad and Mimi are over forty years old, they can't fight like they used to - and our little girl is chasing that crazy Hyacinth and Azure. We have to get to the ravine, now, and I feel fine. I don't need rest." Blu felt another sense of that relief. His Jewel was definitely back, and here to stay, but his relief was soon replaced by worry. Just what was Kerja planning to do to Azure? What if Bia got hurt, or worse?

Blu and Jewel then slowed. Ahead, they could see three Hyacinths, flying like there was no tomorrow, struggling to it adequately with the rain. Jewel landed on a branch, hidden behind some leaves, parting them and looking out with angry eyes. "I'd love to strangle one of them." She muttered to him. He looked nervously at her.

"Come on, Jewel... we have to get back." Blu said, gently, tugging her wing. He was afraid that Jewel would indeed try to strangle one - she claimed to feel fine, but for all he knew she was still weak. Jewel casted an angry glare at the Hyacinths, before reluctantly following him away. Jewel had a vague recollection of the noise of battle, but now it was almost silent. Had the battle ended? Either that or the storm was drowning out the sound. Blu then saw something in the corner of his eye, something lying on the bank by the stream. He frowned. "Jewel? What's that, down there?"

"What?" Jewel turned her head to look. Something small and light blue lay there by the stream, on it's side. It's tail was half in and half out of the stream, and it was sodden in water, covered in mud. She frowned - then she realized who it was, and gasped. "Bia!" Jewel cried, frantically. Blu blinked in confusion, and upon looking at the figure again, also realized.

"What the -" Blu began, but then he found himself and Jewel racing down to the bank, landing awkwardly and running to Bia's side.

"Oh, no!" Jewel looked horrified upon seeing the claw marks on Bia, and most of them were around her throat. She looked up at Blu, wide-eyed, before crouching beside their motionless daughter and pulling her out of the mud, into her wings. "Oh, thank goodness, she's breathing... Bia? Wake up, it's us, sweetheart..." Bia then began to stir, muttering and coughing up water; finally, she opened her eyes, and blinked away water. She reached a wing up to her neck, groaning at the pain, of both cuts and bruising. She looked up at Blu and Jewel, and smiled weakly.

"Mom... Dad?" She asked, before coughing up more water. Blu and Jewel exchanged relieved looks, before they both proceeded into a joint hug with Bia. Bia felt some of her pain melt away, with being in her mother and father's wings.

"Bia, what happened to you?" Blu fretted, running his worried eyes over Bia's wounds and sodden feathers.

"I... it was Kerja. She... ow." Bia rose a wing to her throat, wincing. Jewel frowned.

"Did she try to strangle you, or something?" She asked, turning Bia's head to examine the bruising. "You should try not to speak. We'll get you to that Spix's Wing soon."

"She tried to drown me... I'll explain later, and I'm fine." Bia shook her head. The Spix's Wing was the last place she wanted to be. "Anyway... what about you? Are you well again?"

"I've never been better, sweetie." Jewel said, softly, before helping Bia to stand. "But we're still taking you to the Spix's Wing."

"I honestly don't need..."

"Don't try to protest." Blu insisted. "You won't be in there long, but you still have some bad wounds - what was that?" Blu looked to the right, where there was a distant sound. He frowned, trying to make it out, before calling out loudly. "We're here!" Upon Bia and Jewel's confused looks, he explained. "I just heard Azure, Eduardo, and Mimi - calling for you, Bia." As he said this, Eduardo, Mimi, and Azure's voices became clear. In her mother's and father's wings, Bia felt Jewel's heartbeat quickening - her father and aunt were about to see her well again.

"Bia! Bia!" Eduardo and Mimi were first to come flying out of the trees, the first to land on the mud. Upon landing, they looked at Bia first with relief, then Blu - then they both froze upon seeing the third. Eduardo blinked in disbelief, and didn't move at all. Mimi, however, ran forwards, wings outstretched. Jewel released Bia and ran to her aunt, and the two met with a tight embrace. Bia looked up at her father, and smiled. It was a heart-warming scene to behold.

"Jewel... I can't believe how... _well_ you look. It's a miracle..." Mimi kept crying between words. She then looked up at Bia through tears, reaching over with one wing to touch her shoulder. "And you, you little darling... are you alright? What about Tiago and Carla?"

"I'm fine, and so are they." Bia replied, coughing again. "I'm just a bit... watery." They turned to look at Eduardo. Jewel eased herself free of Mimi, and ran up to her father. No words were exchanged - only a relieved embrace, just like the one they had shared upon reunification last year. Then the bushes shook. Azure came crashing, eyes enormous with terror - then he skidded to a halt upon seeing Bia, almost slipping in the mud. No words were said - Bia raced past Eduardo and Jewel, flinging herself into Azure's wings. He held her tightly, trying and failing to keep back the tears. They remained that way for a long time, until Bia pulled away, reaching up with her wings to hold his face. "Hey, you. Don't cry."

"I'm just... so glad you're... safe." Azure whispered in her ear. "I genuinely thought you'd... that she'd... oh, forget it." he hugged her tighter, and Bia rested her cheek on his shoulder. He winced, and she realized that his throat had an injury. She tilted his chin up so she could see the horizontal cut, and she felt a wave of relief - it looked painful, but not serious. Kerja hadn't cut far enough for it to damage an artery or his windpipe. Remembering Kerja, Bia looked downstream. Where had she gone? Had she drowned, or was she still being carried downriver? _Don't think about her._ Then her thoughts were distracted, by the sound of triumphant cheering from hundreds of macaws - Spix's, Scarlet, Green-Winged, and Blue-and-Gold, heard over the storm that raged overhead.

"I think..." Blu then said, looking around, cautiously. "I think the battle's over."

"Already?" Jewel asked, surprised, looking around from where she was still embracing Eduardo.

"When we left to find Bia, only twenty or so were left, compared to the hundreds of macaws on our side... Blu, Jewel, in case you didn't know, Johanna brought some of her tribe to help out." Mimi informed them.

"Really?" Blu asked, looking confused. "I thought they didn't fight?"

"Dad, they were throwing fruit and stuff." Bia said, remembering, never taking her eyes off Azure. "Not fatal or too harmful, but enough to drive away..."

"I have a lot to thank Johanna and her tribe for." Eduardo marvelled, shaking his head. He still looked shell-shocked after seeing Jewel looking so well again. There was a long moment's silence. "Anyway... Mimi and I will go back to check on the ravine... Blu, Jewel? I think you should go and find Tiago and Carla."

"Are you sure?" Jewel asked, in concern. "Do you want me to stay with you a little longer?"

"Of course we do, but those other two need their mom and dad." Mimi said, with a smile. "Go on, all of you - go to the Blue-and-Golds." Jewel smiled back at Mimi, before hugging her aunt and father once more.

"See you both later - love you both." She said, and they both nodded. With a final smile, Jewel turned to Blu and Bia. She then plucked Azure off the ground, and hugged him too. Azure's cheeks turned cerise in embarrassment. "And thank you, as well - you went all the way to Peru, to help your girlfriend's mom. Your mother will be so proud..." she looked uncomfortably at Blu, Eduardo, and Mimi.

"Had something happened to her?" Azure asked, looking up, worriedly. "Kerja said..."

"We'll tell you on the way." Blu said, quickly. "She's in the Spix's Wing, right now, but she'll recover soon. You can see her there when we take you."

"That reminds me," Eduardo said, sounding and looking worried. "Azure, your father rushed off when Johanna said something to him... any idea what that was about?" Bia glanced a quizzical look at Azure, who frowned.

"Er... I don't know." He shrugged. "I guess we'll find out later." Azure tried to sound casual, but he was concealing his worry. What could've happened to make Roberto rush off so quickly?


	43. Dark river

"I'll _flay_ that Kerja, if I see her again!" Azure vowed, his blue eyes losing their serenity and becoming filled with fury. Bia didn't blame Azure for his anger - she too was shocked, when Blu had told Azure and her what Sophia had gone through. It was horrifying - Bia loved Sophia, and she couldn't imagine her going through such hell. They had been told the whole story on the difficult flight through the rain - the death of Catia in a savage attack, the seige on the Kapoks in detail, the truly brave and selfless Hyacinth named Mina, and the whole plot with Azure's family members, at how they had been targeted. Isaac had almost been captured, and Bromeliad had escaped death with a rock to the head, only for Sophia to be taken and undergo days of torture in the caves. Azure was simmering with anger, and he looked worried sick.

"We'll take you to your mother once we find your siblings." Jewel promised, looking concerned. "And it shouldn't be too far." She glanced at Blu, who also looked worried. Eduardo's question about Roberto's hasty getaway was playing on all their minds. Occasionally, a group of Hyacinths would burst from the nearby trees, but they never even looked at the four Spix's macaws, instead disappearing toward the border.

The flowered trees finally melted into view, pink and purple and yellow, their buds bouncing in the wind and heavy rain. Bia held the bag underneath her more closely, to try and protect her drawing pad within from the weather. The trees' petals had closed since darkness was now upon the Amazon, and the Blue-and-Gold sentry duties, perched in the most sheltered trees, looked a little miserable and half-asleep in the bad weather. Upon seeing the four Spix's macaws approaching, they jolted from their sleepy moods. A male Blue-and-Gold with a vertical scar over his eye area flew to greet them as they crossed into the new territory; Bia recognized him as Alejandro.

"Good evening." Johanna's mate and deputy looked tired and weary - he had been in charge of his entire tribe for weeks without Johanna there to help him, and Alejandro was exhausted and missing her. Despite his fatigue, however, Alejandro was still smiling. "I trust you all got here safely without problems? We were told you might all be coming."

"Yes, we did." Blu nodded. Bia was relieved none of them had mentioned the mess with her and Kerja - she was too exhausted to talk about it. As they flew, Alejandro complimented Jewel's newly recovered health, and the three adults began talking about the floral miracle. Bia and Azure flew at the back, flying close together. Azure was silent, and Bia couldn't blame him - so much had happened so quickly. Almost having his throat slit, losing her, and now learning all his family troubles. He was probably exhausted. Alejandro kept looking back at him - he clearly knew something about why Roberto had rushed off.

"So, what of the Hyacinths?" Alejnadro prompted, clearly wanting to forget that thought. "Kerja's bodyguard was the one who gave me this, you know." He pointed up to his scar. "Tried to get at my eye, but I got back before he could."

"Well, my dad and Mimi went back to make sure, but when they left the ravine, not many were left." Jewel said, sounding brighter. "Then we heard cheering afterwards - we think they're retreating. We saw plenty flying away as we came here."

Bia began to feel familiarity with the surroundings, remembering how she and Azure had come here to see Johanna, to find out more about the mysterious disease. The pretty flowered and fruitful trees were a comfort, and made her feel safe. After what had just happened in the stream and plunge pool, she felt uneasy. Ahead, they could hear the murmuring of macaws. Alejandro, Blu and Jewel flew through the gap in the trees, and Bia and Azure followed.

Blue-and-Gold macaws were seen in the rain, looking cheerful and carrying fruit and nest material. A few elderly Blue-and-Gold and Spix's were seen in the nearby trees, exchanging stories of their younger days. Meanwhile, young chicks were in the care of either elderly relatives or Blue-and-Golds, or playing happily with their neighbouring chicks, their worries about their home and parents forgotten.

Alejandro motioned to a tree ahead. "They're all there. If any of you need anything at all, just ask."

"Thank you, Alejandro." Jewel said, gratefully. Alejandro nodded, before flying over to a group of his tribe members, who had waved him over. Jewel looked nervously at Blu, who brushed his wingtips over her wing.

"Ready to see our other two again?" He asked. Bia felt that wave of nerves at the thought of seeing Carla and Tiago; how would she explain that business with Kerja? And there was Bruno, Orchid, Bromeliad, and Isaac. Now, they were in sight - sitting on one branch. Bruno and Carla sat there, with the latter leaning on the former, who's wing was wrapped over her shoulders. Adele and Leti were both asleep beside Carla, who had one wing draped around the two chicks. Carla had always had that maternal instinct - she was good with children, and their neighbours had frequently asked her to babysit. And... that was it? Where were Tiago, Orchid, Bromeliad, Isaac? Other than Bruno and Carla, a couple of other friends were present on other branches - all looking... what? Sympathetic? And Bruno and Carla both looked depressed and sombre.

Carla then looked up. She leapt to her talons, with a gasp, the cloudy look in her eye fading at the sight of her parents and sister. Adele and Leti stirred, and raised their heads sleepily. Bolting from Bruno's side, Carla darted through the air, straight for her parents. "Mom! Dad! Bia!" She went straight to Jewel first, naturally - afterall, her mother had been the one who had nearly died. Jewel enveloped Carla in her wings, and the two spun through the air. For a few moments, they remained there, before Blu and Bia joined in. Smiling at the reunited family, Azure turned and flew toward the others.

"Hey, buddy." Azure said, grinning as he saw Bruno safe, before he and Bruno shared a friendly wing-bump. Adele and Leti awakened fully upon seeing him; they were family friends, afterall. Once he had greeted the two chicks, Azure felt confusion. "Bruno... where are the others?" Upon saying this, Blu, Jewel, and Bia landed beside him, looking around with similar expressions. Carla backed up to stand with Bruno, Adele and Leti. They stared at the others, shuffling their talons, unsure how to explain.

"Where's your brother?" Asked Jewel, frowning at Carla.

"And mine, and my sisters..." Azure added, looking around. Carla looked up at Bruno with a sorrowful look. Adele looked as though she were about to burst into tears; this was out of character, since she was usually tough, like her father.

"A Hyacinth grabbed Adele..." began Leti, in a small voice; this was all she managed to say before beginning to cry. Carla wrapped a comforting wing around Leti, and looked up at them with dark eyes.

"Like Leti said... the group of kids got attacked by Hyacinths... eventually we made a break for it, but just before we crossed, Adele was caught..." Carla paused, glancing up at Azure, unsure how to continue. "When that happened, we all froze... we didn't know what to do. But Orchid went forward, and attacked the Hyacinth until he dropped Adele. But then he grabbed her, instead..." there was a dreadful silence, as they absorbed this information. No-one spoke for a few moments.

"Carla." Azure said, quietly. "What happened to my sister?" Carla turned her face away, into Bruno's chest. He looked up, but couldn't make eye contact with any of them.

"She was so brave... but the Hyacinth clawed her pretty bad... on the face. Some of Alejandro's tribe managed to pull him away before he could do anything else, and the Hyacinths retreated. There was a lot of blood... but they took her away, to the Spix's Wing. We don't know how bad the extent of the damage is, but... Tiago, Bromeliad, and Isaac are down there now."

_Meanwhile_

A small group of Hyacinths crouched by the stream, close to the water. A young female stood over her brother, who kept wincing as she began cleaning the blood from his wounds. Their other companions were discussing the battle that had just ended. The rain was heavy, but the tree canopy provided some shelter from it. "Hold still." Said the female, rolling her eyes as her injured brother jerked a bit. "I told you not to participate in that stupid battle."

"Sorry, but you know what Kerja was like!" The male protested, flinching as his sister started dabbing his wound with water-soaked moss. "She said I'd regret it if I didn't help out..."

"Oh, you shouldn't have listened to her, bro. We should've done what the others did - pretended to go in, and during the charge, we could've quickly disappeared into the trees or something." His sister shook her head. "I knew Mina was right. I knew it, and dad told us to stop being stupid. What happened to him, anyway?"

"I think he stayed till the end... oh well, either he'll come crawling back to us or he'll go off and find some new family." Said the male, dully. He glanced at an older female, talking to another female with two chicks. "Hey, mom! What happens now?" The older female turned, looking tired and weary.

"Well, Emiliano... since Kerja is gone and left no heir... I doubt the tribe will come back together." Their mother shrugged. "It's too much hassle, electing a new leader when half of them will fight for the position... and I'm sick and tired of those creepy stories Kerja got us to tell the littl'uns. It didn't really make them fierce, to be honest... it gave you and Marcia nightmares..."

"Too right it did." Muttered Marcia, tossing the piece of moss away and searching for a fresh one.

"Anyway, either we'll join one of them little groups or form one ourselves, or we'll just live in our little families. And like that little Spix's girl said, there's plenty of free territory for us all..." their mother then looked around. "What was that?" The rest of the group became quiet to listen. It was a grunting sound, the scrabbling of talons on stone. The group paused, and looked down the stream.

"Is that..." a male squinted downstream. "Is that Kerja?" Indeed it was. Their former leader was scrabbling at some rock and a vine that drifted into the water, trying to drag herself out of the stream, but she couldn't get a firm grasp. The darker stream swirled further down, emptying into the main river. The waters in the Amazon river were choppy and wild, the wind whipping across it and promising drowning to any unfortunate soul who was carried into it. "What should we do?" He asked, frowning, as they watched Kerja struggle. There was a moment of thought. They felt no loyalty to their tyrannical leader anymore - so why should they do anything?

"Do? Nothing." Hissed a younger female. "Why should we? She's not our matriarch anymore, and if you ask me, it's better for everyone if she's dead. You know what she'll do, if we help her. She round up the tribe again and only send us into another pointless war. I'm sorry, but I have better things to do than be forced into a fight that isn't ours."

The group continued watching Kerja. Kerja could barely see - mud and water had made her vision blurry. She couldn't get a grip on the slippery rock beneath her, and her talons couldn't get a grasp through the rushing water. The vine in her beak was flimsy, and kept drifting this way and that in the tossing current. She grunted, trying to drag herself further up toward safety, but only to be pulled further back again by a rush of water. Her feathers were pulling her down, dragging her repeatedly under the surface. Water kept rushing into her lungs - her strength was sapping away, and the vine had a small tear that kept growing. She was biting it too much.

Kerja let a high-pitched screech - begging somebody, anybody, to help her. Her former tribe members didn't move to help. That was it. Suddenly, the vine snapped, for her beak had bitten too hard and severed it completely. Her flimsy grasp on the stone wasn't enough, and she was torn away from her one lifeline. She was dragged into the deeper current, which lead into the main river. Kerja saw it ahead, and floundered desperately - every cry for help was smothered by water, and then something crashed into her wing. Her screech of agony was unheard under the water, and then she sank more, as her broken wing couldn't help her.

Kerja then collided, head-first, into rock that jutted out into the river. Her mind went absolutely blank, and spots appeared in her vision. Control of her body seeped away as her struggles did. Her head reappeared once - her beak was open, but she couldn't take the opportunity to fill her lung. She wanted to breathe, but she couldn't. She slid under the surface, and the current pulled her eyelids open, letting them see the murky water that surrounded her, but then her eyes stopped moving - the light died in them, and the grey irises became lifeless. Kerja's body then drifted down, through the water and into the darkness.


	44. Loneliness

When Azure had asked Bia to come with him to see Orchid, she had immediately agreed. Blu and Jewel had offered to go, wanting to see Tiago as well as see the family, but Bruno had warned them that they would likely not be allowed in - too many macaws being there and whatnot. Bia and Azure were in silence as they flew as fast as the storm allowed them, and both of them were afraid. If Bia was frightened of the severity of Orchid's injuries, she couldn't imagine how Azure and his family were feeling.

Bia had been to the Spix's Wing before - she, Azure, and Orchid had been treated for their injuries from the fire a few months back. Her and Orchid's burns, the wound that had resulted in Azure's scar. She liked the humans who worked there - they were kind, just like Linda, Tulio, and Fernando, and they were skilled in their jobs. Orchid was in good hands.

Just how severe was Orchid's injury? There had been a lot of blood, according to Bruno, and how deep was the wound? None of the Blue-and-Golds had said just how bad it was - just a scratch? Or critical, or fatal? It set Bia's nerves on edge, made her heart race with fear. She wondered if there were any major arteries in the face.

The Spix's Wing had been built in the defrosted clearing that had been created a year ago, when her and Felipe's tribes had banded together to chase out the loggers. A year on, the former bare earth was now coming back to life, some long, green grass and some exotic plants growing. Moss and lichen had grown over the tree stumps, and young tree seedlings had been planted. The small building stood there - it was larger than it looked, with another two or three levels underground.

"How will we get in?" Azure fretted, looking up at it anxiously.

"Window." Bia said, simply, indicating to an open one. She and Azure slid through the metal bars that protected the window, before they squeezed through the window and into the building. They dropped silently onto the floor, looking up and around. An employee had his back to them, filling a syringe with a clear liquid. Animals slept in the spacious cages, many having healing stitches and bandages. A frog hopped in a large tank, a capybara chewed slowly on some leaves, and several birds looked down at Bia and Azure in curiosity. Bia knew that the predatory animals like jaguars and alligators were kept on another level, to avoid accidents with the prey animals. The two, so not to alert the human vet, ran across the floor, slipping on it's smooth surface, and out of the room, into the corridor. They hid behind a photo and memoir cabinet, where photos and important news articles regarding the building and sanctuary were kept.

"How will we find Orchid?" Azure asked, frowning. Bia pictured the building layout in her mind. She and Carla came here, sneaking down into the very bottom underground level, where the employees lived until they swapped with others to go back to Manaus. They would use the computers to download new music for Carla's iPod, so they knew the building fairly well.

"Okay, if Orchid is injured so badly... she could be in intensive care." Bia remembered this section being the first underground level.

"Oh, no." Azure groaned - intensive care wasn't a good thing. Bia took the lead, guiding Azure in direction of the staircase and the lift. She frowned up at the lift doors; the stairs would be easier. They turned right, and began flying down the staircase toward the first underground level. Eventually, they came to the door, which was labelled 'Intensive Care/Surgery'.

Luckily, the door was propped open, and they could go straight through. One door had a radiation symbol, with the warning of 'X-ray radiation'. Others said 'Surgery'; all of them had slots on them, with another slot to cover a certain part. For example, if surgery was going on, the slot covered 'No surgery' and revealed 'Surgery; do not enter unless directed'. All the other doors were labelled 'Patient recovery'. Orchid had to be in one of those.

Initially, Bia had thought that they would have the problem of finding Orchid. There were many rooms, with many having locked doors, and there were plenty of corridors. But then there was a familiar sound from further down the corridor. Bia and Azure's hearts lurched as they heard Sophia - not her voice, but sobbing. They ran down the corridor, skidding to a halt at the fifth door down on the left. Azure flew up to the handle, and his weight turned it. The door creaked open, and the room became silent.

Bia and Azure slowly entered the room, dreading what they might find, and flew onto the counter that lined the left side of the wall. The wall was covered in silver boxes with wire faces, with white slots below stating the inhabitants' species, gender, and injury or illness. All of them were currently empty - but one slot was written. _Cynopsitta spixii. Female. Severe facial injury. _It was empty, but the wire door was open and waiting. Clean white towels lined the floor, with a water and food bowl. A drip was connected to the cage side, yet unconnected to an animal.

Roberto perched on the end of their very counter, leaning against a cage face, with Bromeliad and Isaac sitting beside him. This was the only one with someone in it, and it was the cage beside the other labelled one. The white tab read: _Cynopsitta spixii. Female. Various injuries. _Sophia was inside with tears running down her face, pressed against Roberto, the wire between them. Bia didn't know why she was crying, but she had a feeling it was something to do with how her children had all nearly been killed in this one evening alone. Heavy bandages were patching her body, and half-healed wounds that were too minor to require bandages. Bruises bloomed under her skin, yellow as they began to fade to normal. The four macaws stared at Bia and Azure as though they were ghosts.

Azure and Bia ran over the counter, toward the family. Bromeliad and Isaac ran to meet them. Bia collided with Bromeliad, relieved to see her friend safe again, and the two friends remained there in silence. Azure, meanwhile, ran up to Isaac. The two brothers seeing each other again brought grins to their faces, despite the situation. Bromeliad released Bia, wide-eyed, but looking delighted to see her again.

"Look at you! Your feathers are so muddy, what happened?" She looked down at Bia's mud-patched feathers. Bia sighed; she had forgotten to clean herself up. She made a mental note to do it later.

"I'll explain later... I almost drowned with Kerja..." Bromeliad looked very alarmed, but Bia didn't want to explain it all now, so she spoke before Bromeliad could ask a question. "But I'm fine - and Jewel is well again." At this, Bromeliad looked relieved, and gave her friend another hug. "Where's Tiago?" Bia asked, realizing his absence. Bromeliad gave her a sad look.

"On the way... Orchid freaked out. Screamed at him, demanded him to leave... I think she didn't want him to see her in that state. So he did. Flew off into the forest. He'll turn up, I'm sure." She blinked in sympathy, and then turned to her brothers, and joined in their embrace. Bia frowned, hoping that her brother hadn't run into any trouble. He was brave and tough, sure, but he was still her little brother. Meanwhile, Roberto ran past Bia, and began fretting over his son.

"Did she hurt you badly?" He asked, frantically, lifting Azure's chin to see the wound on his throat, recalling what Kerja had almost done. Sophia was clinging to the cage bars, staring out with longing. Azure then spotted her, and wriggled free of his siblings and father, running to the cage face.

"Mom, are you okay?" He asked, desperately, looking her up and down with an appalled expression. Sophia wanted to hug him, but the wire was a barrier, so instead, she reached through the wire and took her son's talon.

"I'm alright." Sophia assured him, but her smile wasn't without pain. She then caught sight of Bia. "And you... are you okay?"

"I'm fine... so is my mom." Bia said, hiding her shock at seeing what had happened to Sophia. "What about Orchid?" There was silence. Nobody's eyes made contact.

"She's still in surgery." Said Isaac, quietly. "It's been a while since we brought her in... it's so bad, Azure, Bia. The... the humans said all kinds of stuff... they took her away and had all the surgery masks and equipment..." his head fell back. "We don't know when she'll be out, but... it has to be soon." Azure stared at Isaac, before he turned away, eyes blank with shock. Bia felt a flash of sympathy, and held out her wings. Azure accepted the offer of comfort, and Bia wrapped her wings around him, looking worriedly at the others over his shoulder. At that moment, however, the door opened.

A human walked in, carrying something wrapped in a white blanket. She looked worriedly at the macaw family on her left, before gently placing the bundle into the cage next to Sophia's. It took a few moments for her to connect the drip and lock the door - then she left the room, and human murmuring began outside. They didn't expect Orchid to move, as she would've been under anaesthetic - but to their surprise, she staggered to her talons. It must've worn off before she was returned to the cage. She swayed a little, but didn't speak or turn to her family. She stood there, eerily still, her face turned away.

"Orchid..." Sophia said, quietly, through the metal wall. She got no response. "Orchid." She repeated, more loudly this time. "Baby, what happened? Are you alright?"

Orchid was still as a stone. The right side of her face, where the Hyacinth had struck, was turned away, but they saw the bandage tied off at the back of her head. Her left eye, the one they could see, was streaming with tears. Silently, she turned around to face them. A large bandage covered the majority of the right side of her face, concealing her eye from view. Bia managed to stop herself from flinching. Roberto went to speak, but then Orchid reached up to her bandage. To their shock, she began fumbling with the tie. Bia, Azure, Isaac, and Bromeliad exchanged mortified glances. What on earth was she doing? Was she out of her mind?

"Orchid, don't!" Roberto protested; too late, as the tie came loose. Orchid tore the bandage off, throwing it to the floor, and looked at them.

"Look at me!" She wailed, tears dripping from the unharmed side of her face. They were shocked into silence. Horror and revulsion ran through them all at the sight of what had been Orchid's right eye area.

Three claw marks, covered in stitches, ran over her right eye. Under the stitches, the wounds had a thin line where the blood had welled, and the flesh was pink and raw. The area around the wounds had been cleaned, but the faint blood stain was still present in Orchid's feathers. The claw marks had to be between one and two inches long, running diagonally from left to right across her... across... a hole. _No... not that, please no..._ but Bia knew her eyes weren't deceiving her. Instead of an eye, all they saw was an empty eye socket.

"They tried." Orchid whispered, only able to cry from her remaining eye. The empty eye socket was dark and red, and it sent shivers down Bia's spine. Nobody could speak. The silence was deafening, except for Orchid's shaking voice. "They tried to save it. But they couldn't." Her family said nothing - they couldn't say anything. It was horrifying - Roberto's head sank into his wings. Sophia began crying in silence. Azure shook, and Bia had to steady him, while Bromeliad clung onto Azure and Isaac's wings, her knees trembling. Isaac was slowly shaking his head, wing clasped over his beak in disbelief.

"It's... it's not fair." Azure whispered. "Orchid, I'm so sorry..." Orchid re-tied the bandage with shaking talons, and sank down into a corner, head buried in her wings - she kept herself together for a few moments. But then she crumbled. Orchid began to weep, unable to stop the tears. She began to sob in despair, wings covering her face, her voice high-pitched and filled with agony. None of them had ever seen such pain, and it was a heart-breaking scene. Orchid was so young - she was barely a year old, a teenager. She had sacrificed half her sight for little Adele. She didn't deserve this.

Bia then remembered the bag, which she had left with Carla. "Orchid." She said, softly. Orchid slowly looked up, her left eye still streaming. "There are two Estrelli left... maybe we could..." But Orchid was shaking her head. She looked up, almost glaring at Bia. Bia felt a flash of surprise and offence - this wasn't Orchid.

"Don't waste it on me. Give it to someone who is actually dying." She looked away, speaking in a flat voice. "Besides, it doesn't regrow feathers, Bia. They regrow themselves. Eyes don't regrow. You lose some feathers, they come back. You lose an eye, and it's gone forever." Orchid then turned, and slumped against the wall, facing away. Her remaining eye was set firmly on the ceiling. "Go away, please. I... I want to be on my own."

"Sis..." Isaac began, but Orchid didn't say a word or make any sign to show she had heard.

"Orchid." Bromeliad said, with an offended look. "You can't just ignore us..."

"Li..." Roberto rested a wing on his eldest. "Maybe we should just leave her be, if that's what she wants..." a pained look entered his eyes. He turned to Sophia, who had seen it all through a gap in the metal that separated her and Orchid. She wiped away some tears.

"I'll try talk to her." Sophia murmured, running her wingtips through her head feathers. "Or maybe she just needs quiet. Maybe come back tomorrow?" After a few moments, the family and Bia nodded, and began to reluctantly move toward the door. Azure remained there, gazing at his sister and mother, and Bia gently took his wing, and pulled him away. Bia didn't want to leave her friend either, but she knew Orchid wanted to be alone.

"I'm sorry..." Azure tried to say to Orchid, but she once again ignored him. Shaking his head, Azure turned and followed his family and Bia out of the door. Once it closed, they stood there for a few moments in stunned silence, before slowly making their way out. At the top of the door, however, there was movement. Tiago stood there on the top door frame, clinging onto the yellow flowers in his talons, having heard it all. He slumped back against the wall, and closed his eyes, hoping he had misheard, but he knew he hadn't. Tiago couldn't believe it - Orchid would never see with both eyes again.

In her cage, Orchid continued to break down. "Orchid, please... talk to me." Sophia pleaded. "Listen to me - we're going to help you get through this, okay? We'll help you adjust to flying this way... we'll -" but Sophia's voice faded out in Orchid's mind. All she felt was distraught - she had lost an eye. This wasn't supposed to happen to someone her age. She would never be the same again. Half of her world was in darkness - and she had never felt so alone.


	45. Despair

Tiago gently opened the door, poking his head in. It had been a few hours since Bia and the family had left, and since then, night had fallen, and the lights had all been turned off. Most of the employees had retired to their living quarters, while others stayed awake through the night to ensure none of the recovering animals took a turn for the worse. He had snuck into the building via a window, despite the dark and the rain.

The battle was finally over, and everybody was celebrating - a proper party had already been arranged with the three tribes, but they would wait until all the injured had recovered. Patrols were inspecting the Kapoks, just in case, but there were no Hyacinths in sight. They had all fled outside the territories they had invaded, into the unclaimed land. As for Kerja, it was assumed that she had perished in the river, but everyone was still wary. The Red macaw tribe were hoping to move back to their rightful home within the next few days - this was a relief for the Spix's macaws, since an extra hundred-and-something macaws had made things crowded. Fruit and nut supplies were down to slim pickings, but to make up for it, Felipe had offered foraging opportunities in his territory.

Miraculously, nobody had been killed. This was an absolute shock - so many close calls, and the fatally injured were being treated with the Estrella flowers. The strategy of a minimum of two per Hyacinth had worked in saving lives, and the arrival of the Blue-and-Golds had made a huge difference. Most injuries were minor, or non-life threatening, except for those three. Well... not all injuries had been minor.

There was a great sense of relief in all three tribes, but Orchid's family was finding it hard to feel happiness. They had told Tiago about her injuries, as they hadn't been aware of his eavesdropping. It was horrible. So many sympathizers had approached to offer their condolences, as news of Orchid's horrific injuries had spread quickly. Tiago had been back to the Blue-and-Gold territory, and had been reunited with his entire family at last. Of course he was happy that Jewel was going to live, but Orchid's misfortune hung over him like a cloud.

Sophia was now asleep, but she kept muttering occasionally about Hyacinths. Orchid, meanwhile, was silent, but still awake. Her remaining eye faced his way, blank and set on the ceiling of her cage. Tiago carried the glass of water, with the yellow flowers standing in them. "Psst." He whispered. Orchid blinked, and looked his way. She looked mortified upon seeing him there, and covered her bandaged face, refusing to make eye contact. "Brought you something." Tiago carried the glass of yellow flowers, placing them on the counter. Their soft yellow petals looked fresh and vibrant in the dark.

"Orchids. My favourite." Orchid murmured, softly, gazing at the flowers she was named for - they were yellow, which was also her favourite colour. Tiago glanced at Sophia, who was still asleep, before flying up to Orchid's wire door and hooking his claws onto the wire. He looked through the barrier, wide-eyed, feeling an indescribable wave of sorrow and pity. The bandage almost covered the entire right side of her face. Her remaining eye was dull and full of depression.

"I... I heard everything." Tiago admitted, trying not to look at the bandages and looking into her remaining eye. "And I'm really sorry. I truly... truly am." Orchid's face flushed, and she backed away, turning her face from view. Tears welled up in her one eye, and she harshly wiped it away. "Orchid... you never know, the Estrella petals... they could -"

"No!" Orchid said, fiercely; she stiffened when Sophia stirred, but she didn't wake. Orchid covered her face. "No, Tiago. Those flowers are for saving lives... not for fixing things like this."

"But -" Tiago began to protest, but Orchid cut him off.

"It won't give me my eye back. I told Bia earlier... it didn't regrow her feathers, did it? Feathers can regrow. But not eyes." Tiago prepared to protest, but then he realized. Orchid was right - it was unlikely that the flower could return her eye. Besides, they were being used to heal those three who had been badly injured. The realization crashed down upon him.

"Oh, Orchid." Tiago rested his forehead on the wire bars. _There's no chance of Orchid getting her eye back._

"Please, Tiago... leave me alone." Orchid picked up the water bowl, and looked into it. She looked at her blurry reflection in the metal, disgusted by the bandage she saw. She had caught a glimpse of what lay beneath in a mirror, when the human had carried her from out of surgery to this cage. And she was sick to her stomach. "I'm hideous. I look like a... like a monster."

"Don't say that!" Tiago gasped, staring at her in shock. "What are you talking about? You're -" to his shock, she threw up her wings in frustration. She slammed the bowl down, and whirled around. She then ripped the bandage away from her face, revealing what lay underneath. Tiago couldn't stop himself from staring at the three gashes, the ones that would surely scar. The hole that had once contained an eye. But to his own surprise, he wasn't repulsed or sickened at all. Just shocked - and devastated for her.

"Hideous?" She asked, an attempt at finishing his sentence. But Tiago wasn't fazed by her appearance. He didn't feel sickened.

"That's not what I was going to say, Orc. I was going to say _beautiful, no matter what." _he promised, but he knew Orchid didn't believe him. She shook her head, and looked away.

"Look at me, Tiago." She faced his way again, the right side of her face staring at him even if it didn't have an eye. "Don't tell me I look fine. I know it's vile. Disgusting."

"It's not." Tiago insisted, but she swept on.

"I will never lead a normal life, and we both know it. Something approaches on my blind side, and I'll never see it coming." She looked away, a glazed look entering her remaining eye. "I want kids someday, Tiago... at least three. They wouldn't deserve me for a mother. Their mom will be half-blind - and everyone will flinch and feel sick everytime they look at her. These..." She pointed to the three claw marks. "These will scar, you know. And the eye socket is just horrific. The moment they see me for the first time, they'll be terrified of their own mother." She sniffed. "No matter, though... who would ever want me?"

_"I'd_ want you." Tiago murmured, ignoring his embarrassment at saying it. Orchid glanced at him. "And kids... they wouldn't be terrified. They'd love you to bits, because you'd be their mother. You're the kindest, bravest bird I know. I mean... you _saved_ Adele. Who knows what would've happened to her, had you not..." Tiago's voice faded out. "Look, what I mean is - you can't let this change you. You can't let it stop you from living a full life..." Orchid's expression remained the same. "And, no matter what, Orchid - you'll always be beautiful to me." Tiago hoped that his words would be of comfort to Orchid, but she still possessed the same look of devastation. In his heart, Tiago knew that no words would ever reassure her. She had lost an eye - this would effect her for life. Her confidence was shattered.

"Look at me." Orchid said, simply. "Every stranger we run into will be freaked out... I can't just fly around with this on show." She turned her face away, re-tying the bandage. "Please... just go." She hugged her knees, and rested her face on her wings, not looking at him. Tiago's heart sank, and he knew he couldn't convince her. Defeated, he dropped from the wire, onto the floor. Since he had heard of Orchid's injury, an idea had entered his mind. Orchid was right - flying around with her scars and eye socket on show wasn't practical, and she would surely be subject to abuse by the insensitive and disrespectful individuals out there. Maybe he could do something to help with that.

"I'll... I'll be back in a few days." He promised. Orchid looked down, puzzled, as Tiago made for the exit, a look of determination in his eyes. "I'll go back now and tell everyone where I'm going...

"Tiago, what are you on about?" She asked, in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"Trust me - I'll be back in a few days at the most." Tiago then turned, and ran to the door.

"Hey!" Orchid jumped to her talons. "Wait -" but he had already disappeared into the corridor, and the door had clicked shut. Orchid stared, wondering what on earth he meant - before her thoughts returned to her new disability, and she slumped back to the floor. The sense of despair returned, and she soon forgot about Tiago.

_Later_

Both of the remaining flowers had been used on three severely injured macaws - two Green-Winged macaws and a Spix's. One Green-Winged had been stabbed directly in the back, and another and a Spix's macaw had lost a lot of blood. There had also been the problem of there being only two flowers. So the first Green-Winged, with the worser injury, had been given all the petals of one, while the last flower had been split between the last two injured. With half of the magic missing, their wounds hadn't completely healed, but they had healed enough to stop their injuries from being life-threatening. Still, however, the pair had been taken to the Spix's Wing, just to make sure.

Eduardo was in talks with the other leaders - discussing whether it was safe for the Red macaws to go home, what had happened to Kerja, and of course Eduardo and Felipe were thanking Johanna and Alejandro - they had so much to thank for. Sheltering the evacuated, helping the injured and coming to the tribes' aid in the battle, and Eduardo was thanking Johanna over and over for all she had done for Jewel. She had helped keep her alive for so long, and had she not, it was likely that Jewel would've died long ago. Blu, Jewel, Carla and Bia had also thanked her, expressing their gratitude - Tiago, however, was no where to be seen. He had been pretty shaken up earlier on, before going to see Orchid - but now he was no where. But then they had returned to find a note.

Blu continued to blink in confusion at the untidy writing, written on a leaf. He could barely read it. He had taught his kids to write when they were younger, and all of their writing styles were different. Carla's writing was big and bold, with slight curls at each letter end. Bia's writing was small and neat, the letters joined up, always written with flawless grammar and no spelling mistakes. As for Tiago, his writing always looked as though he had written it in a hurry, the letters not always the same sizes, and the letters were often hard to make out. He often spelt and used grammar incorrectly, and based on how the note was written and his absense, it was Tiago's. _Gone to manouse to find something fore Orchid. will be a Few days._

"Um..." Jewel looked over Blu's shoulder, frowning at the message. "What is 'manouse'?" Behind them, Carla and Mimi were also looking confused. Bia was outside, with Azure - he was struggling to sleep, after all that had happened.

"I'm guessing... Manaus?" Carla said, with a frown. "Something for Orchid... maybe he wants to get something to cheer her up?"

"He had to go without telling us, didn't he?" Mimi was shaking her head. "Honestly. He could've at least waited for the rain to stop..." that was true. It was night, and the rain was still coming down hard. The lightning and thunder was still around - Tiago was probably sheltered in a tree right now.

"I hope he's alright." Said Blu, anxiously. "I'm sure he will - he's just like his mother, after all..."


	46. Return

Dawn had been swept over the Amazon in a golden curtain. Despite the honey-tinted light pouring over the trees, with the sun beginning to creep into the sky, the rain was still present. It had been pouring torrential rain throughout the last week, and now, it was a light pattter, easy enough to fly in without much trouble. With the rain, the Amazon had bursted it's banks, but it wasn't too bad. They had seen worser floods than this, flooding where the water spread deep into the rainforest. The Amazon had swollen by a few metres, touching the trees that framed its banks, but again, it didn't pose a threat to most animals. Based on the light and ever-cloudless sky, the rain would stop in a few minutes. Tiago had been away for almost a week, apparently in Manaus. Nobody knew why he was there - Carla thought it was a gift for Orchid, but they couldn't be certain. Whatever it was, it had to be important, for him to be away from Orchid for so long.

Meanwhile, it had been assumed that it was safe enough for everyone to go home. Felipe, Azalea, and their tribe had gone back to the Kapoks - they had come to Eduardo yesterday to report the situation. The Kapoks were empty and relatively unchanged, with the exception of blue feathers, which were being found and taken away. Names of the deceased tribe members had been added to the names on the wall, within the Red tribe's meeting cave. Tribe tradition was for the name of every macaw who had died to be carved into rock, somewhere close to the main tribe home. The Spix's macaws had this too, within the waterfall cave - Eduardo, Mimi and Jewel still went there to look at Tia's name, which had been carved into the wall for almost twenty years.

All eggs that had been hidden there had been returned to their relieved parents, as had the evacuated chicks. The Spix's macaws had resettled into their ravine, and they were there to stay. Families had moved back into their hollows, and life was already beginning to revive. Even the weather showed it - in the dark period of time where the Hyacinths had been hatching their plots, the sky had been grey and clouded. When it was blue, it was a pale blue - but not a nice pale blue. Some pale blues were beautiful, but this one had been cold and almost 'empty'. But now, in the first time in what felt like forever, it was a constant, warmer blue that was rich and bright.

In the ravine, life was surprisingly like it had been before, when everything had been good. Kids and teenagers were skiing on the giant lilypads and chatting. Parents were awaiting the hatching of eggs, and teaching their chicks to fly. Eduardo was sending out patrols, and Mimi was snoring in her sleeping spot. The only real sign of battle lay within the numerous healing cuts and scratches present on some of the adults. Now that Jewel was healed, she and Blu had gone onto a human boat to contact Rafael, Nico and Pedro in Rio. They hadn't spoke in a long time, and the three city birds would be wondering what had kept them away for so long. Back in their tree, Carla, Bromeliad, Bruno, Isaac and their friend, Gabriel, were finishing a task.

"Okay, Bruno, Isaac, Gabriel -" Carla and Bromeliad surveyed the build up of mud and earth. "The block looks great - let's just put this slab of stone in place..." The two females stood back, as the three males got behind the wide stone slab. They put their wings against it, and prepared to push.

"Alright, lads - heave!" Isaac began to push at the stone, and so did Bruno and Gabriel. The slab pushed into the mud, and they kept pushing until it was fully wedged. The boys stood back, dusting off their wings while admiring their work. The spare room in Blu and Jewel's tree, the one where Jewel had suffered weeks with a fatal disease, had been blocked off. It was useless, anyway, and had too many bad memories. They had piled the entrance with earth and mud until it was blocked, and then put the stone there for good measure.

Isaac and Bromeliad had helped because they wanted to take their minds off what had happened to Orchid, and to make things more depressing, she refused visitors. At least Sophia's wing feathers were almost long enough for her to fly - her wounds were fully healed, her bruises fading, and it would be a matter of a few days until she was released. Everyone in the tribe was getting excited for her release - she was, as their scoremarker and well-known singer across the Amazon, a beloved member of the tribe. And, of course, everyone felt sorry for what had happened to her.

"Thank you, guys, I really appreciate it." Carla smiled at the three boys and at Bromeliad, before dancing up to Bruno, kissing him on the cheek. Bruno looked incredibly surprised, but pleasantly so. "Come on, you - I haven't listened to my music in weeks, and we're reopening the club soon! We need something fresh to welcome our partiers back - we need something fun, something that puts you in a great mood... I'm thinking a song by..." Carla's voice faded into the tree as she lead to Bruno to her room. Bromeliad, Isaac and Gabriel rolled their eyes at one another in amusement, before making for the exit.

"Bye, Bromeliad." Gabriel said, giving her a smile, before leaving. Bromeliad turned, smiling back before he left. The areas above Isaac's eyes rose, and he gave her a playful nudge.

"He likes you." He teased. Bromeliad flushed, and gave him an irritated, embarrassed look. "Gabriel often talks about you, you know..."

"No he doesn't..." but Bromeliad had a small smile creeping at the corners of her beak. "Anyway, did you see mom and Orchid earlier?" At this, their high spirits fell. Bromeliad suddenly regretted asking, as she remembered everything Orchid would have to suffer with. Adjusting to having half her life in the dark. Looking at her reflection and seeing the mutilation, every day. Putting up with insensitive strangers who forgot to hide their horror at what they saw.

"Yes, I did." Isaac replied, with discomfort and sorrow. "Mom will be out in a few days... her cuts have healed, and she won't have scars, and her wing feathers are almost long enough to fly with. But Orchid... well. Her wounds are healing well, but they're deep - she'll probably be scarred, and..." Isaac didn't mention her eye. He looked away. "I tried to talk to her, but she couldn't look at me as she spoke back."

"Well... couldn't we do something to help with the scars?" Bromeliad asked, hopefully. "There are plants and fruit out there that can help them fade..."

"That may be true, but even if the scars can fade, what about the feathers? They can't grow through scar tissue." Isaac still couldn't make eye contact. "I guess she could do some fruit-paint mixing, cover the skin so it's less prominent..."

"Maybe." Bromeliad agreed. "But still, her eye..." The pair faded into silence, and Bromeliad became desperate for a subject change. "Okay, Gabriel went to the lilypads, right? Maybe we should join him... we might see Bia and Azure there."

This was true - Bia and Azure were sitting together on a branch, overlooking the game on the water. Bia loved going on the lilypads - it was terrific fun, but she wasn't sure about going near that water for a couple of days. Ever since that horrible experience with Kerja, Bia had felt a chill whenever she looked at the plunge pool. A book of Bia's lay on the branch beside her - she hadn't read a book in so long, and it was a relief. "So, when will your mom and Orchid be out?" Bia asked, looking up at him. Azure was fiddling with a dream catcher that he had been making since he arrived back in the Amazon. The ring was made of closely bound sticks, and the netting within made of thread. Bia had plenty of thread in her little sewing kit, so she had plenty to spare. Blue feathers hung onto the dream catcher, with tiny seeds thrown into the threads.

"Well, mom could be a few days... if not less. Orchid could be some weeks." Azure replied, connecting the third feather to his creation. "I hope Tiago comes back soon... Orchid needs him."

"He shouldn't much longer - he hasn't got the patience to go by boat, so he'll fly to Manaus. That takes two days to fly, probably... but it's been a almost a week since he left, so he'll likely be back by tomorrow night, if not sooner." There was a long silence. Azure looked at her, with frustration.

"Why didn't she take it?" Azure asked. Bia put her book down, and turned to face him. "I mean... maybe it can't bring the eye back... but what about the scars?"

"She didn't want to waste something so precious on a non-fatal thing." Bia's shoulders slumped. "I mean... how many petals would it have taken to heal the scarring, when the Green-Winged was bleeding to death? You know what Orchid's like. She's selfless. She didn't want to cause a death or pain because of her own problem. Besides, how do we know it would remove the scars? I mean, when I got hurt back then, it prevented a scar... I didn't have the scar beforehand..."

"Still... how long would it take for the scars to fade?"

"Let me think." Bia frowned and bit her lower beak, something she did when she was in deep thought. "Okay. New skin cells will continue to reduce it's appearance, and the scar tissue will fade over months or years... she can speed up this process with various methods. Exfoliation and lemon juice is said to help, what with the lightening properties... if she does that daily, I guess the scars can fade within two years or less. I mean, or takes that long for humans, so I guess it'll be less for a bird." Bia thought over her words, wondering if she was right. "The scars won't go entirely, but they can fade enough to be less noticeable. She should paint over the skin, to help reduce the appearance." Initially, Bia didn't mention the problem of Orchid's eye, but then an idea entered her head. "You don't suppose she could get a glass eye?"

"Would they do that for a macaw?" Azure asked, with a frown.

"Could do... but I don't know where you'd get one..." Bia shook her head and sighed. "Do you think that's why Tiago's gone to Manaus? A glass eye?"

"Does he even know that glass eyes exist? It's not a typical conversation in the Amazon... no, I doubt it. Maybe he'll find something to help cover it up." Azure guessed. "You know what, let's not talk about this... it's just making me feel depressed. I just hope he'll be back soon -"

"Hey!" Exclaimed a voice from behind them. Bia and Azure's heads whipped up.

"Speak of the devil." Azure remarked, and they turned. Tiago stood there, looking breathless. Something white was in his claws - it was a large piece of fabric, and based by the colour hints beneath, it was carrying something. They were so surprised neither of them spoke for several moments.

"What the - Tiago, what did you -" Bia looked at the bundle, trying to guess what it carried. She looked at Azure for help, but he looked as baffled as she did. Tiago rubbed his wing over his forehead, looking frazzled and tired.

"You have no idea how hard it was to get these... I got hit with a broomstick by the woman who owned the stupid stall." He pointed to the painful-looking bruise on his side, before he unwrapped the fabric, revealing what it contained. Bia and Azure blinked - multi-coloured pieces of torn fabrics, a few inches long and maybe one to two inches wide. Three lay there - a pale, cream-yellow, a lilac, and a light blue, with fraying edges. Tiago looked up at Bia, hopeful. "Bia, how good are you at sewing?"


	47. Eternal gratitude

Orchid looked outside the cage with a blank, distant expression, where the humans were giving her mother the final check-over. Sophia stood impatiently on the counter, clearly uncomfortable as the humans stretched out her wings to make sure the feathers were all at a good flying length. They were ensuring that all the wounds had healed, that she wasn't in anymore pain, and that she was healthy. She had been severely dehydrated when she had come in, and starved - now, Sophia was almost back to her old self. Her eyes and feathers were regaining their lustre, and her fierce personality was coming back.

If all was well, Sophia would be out of here by tomorrow - meanwhile, Orchid had almost two weeks left. Sophia was being encouraged to try and fly from one end of the room to another, to check how well she could fly. They wanted to release her as soon as possible, so that she didn't adjust to the life of captivity. Of course Sophia wasn't like that - she'd be glad to be back in the wild, and she would never look back.

Fruit had been placed at different altitudes in the room, and the humans were overlooking how Sophia flew from one place to the next. Sophia personally thought this was ridiculous - she felt so stupid, but she supposed it would get her out of this place sooner. Sophia did her best, flying as swiftly and gracefully as she could with her dodgy right wing feathers. They made the air around her wing feel funny, and her wing wobbled occasionally, but she hid it from the humans. She was usually a near-silent flier, but this unevenness made it a bit more noisy. But that didn't matter - she'd get her quiet flight back in time. Half of her old wing feathers were still in place, the ones the Hyacinths hadn't touched - the new, growing feathers were catching up to the older ones rapidly.

Sophia couldn't wait to get out - see her friends, especially Jewel and Azalea - and be with her beautiful family once more. Away from this place, back in the ravine and that tree she loved, with all the gorgeous flowers and plants along the walls. She wanted to forget everything that had happened in those caves - she couldn't, though. She still remembered the feel of Hyacinth talons around her throat, brutal, crushing, starving her of air until she almost passed out. Scratching, kicking, calling her this name and that, the glow of flame as they burned her feathers. Maybe she'd have the nightmares, but she was free now. The Hyacinths had scattered - Kerja was suspected dead. But then, not all of the Hyacinths had been bad. Sophia hadn't known Mina that well, but she wanted to, after all Roberto had told her. Mina may have sacrificed herself, but that brave Hyacinth hadn't died for nothing - good had ultimately prevailed because of her actions. A remembrance flower for Mina had been planted, and apparently, it was growing beautifully. Sophia made note to pay her respects.

To her relief, the humans were whispering and nodding in approval. Roberto was watching from the top of the cages, overlooking. He hadn't left the room a lot, wanting to stay with his mate and daughter. He was smiling in encouragement, but his mind wasn't just focused on Sophia. There was a sadness present, and Sophia knew why, as Roberto kept glancing down at the cage beneath him. As Sophia flew from place to place, she kept feeling the now-familiar pity and devastation, everytime she saw Orchid, with her bandaged face.

Her little girl had been robbed of half her sight, and Sophia still couldn't believe it. It felt just like a nightmare - she had never imagined this happening. Orchid was so innocent - she had never done anything to harm anyone. She was so brave, attacking a macaw four times her size - Azure had even told her that Orchid had attacked a Harpy eagle, of all things - a _Harpy eagle. _Orchid in no way deserved this.

Orchid would probably take months to adjust to her new lifestyle, and she would be permanently scarred for life. Orchid's wounds were healing remarkably well and fast - the wounds weren't actually as deep as anticipated, and instead of all, only one would leave a scar. Between one and two inches in length, the scar would be thin, going across her eye socket. The humans kept taking her away to change the dressing and to make sure the wounds were healing, and everything was coming back positive - they were confident she would adjust. But still...

Finally, the humans had reached an agreement. One moved forward with gloves, to try and get Sophia back into the cage, but Sophia flew straight in, not wanting to be caught and put in there. The door was closed again, but not locked - afterall, the humans didn't think she would be able to open it herself, and she would soon be taken upstairs for a final check before release. The moment they left, however, Roberto rushed down to the cage, and began examining the bolt. Remembering how it had been closed, he lifted it with his beak, and pushed it to the left. The door swung open, and as it did, Sophia ran out, wings outstretched. Roberto scooped Sophia into his wings, and they nuzzled beaks, a symbol of affection. "I can't believe it! I'll be out soon!" Her dark blue eyes sparkled for the first time in a long time - Roberto hadn't seen that spark since he had rescued her from that prison of a tribe home. But then the sparkle disappeared as she remembered. Their spirits fell flat as they turned, seeing their miserable daughter.

Looking worriedly at Roberto, Sophia freed herself of his wings and went to the wires, looking inside. Her heart broke everytime she saw Orchid, with the bandage covering half her face. "Oh, sweetie... we'll be back everyday until you're out, okay?" Orchid looked up, with a dull expression.

"Yeah... sure." She replied, flatly. Sophia looked back at Roberto, stricken. She wanted to get out into the wild more than ever, but at the same time, she didn't want to leave Orchid.

"Baby, I'm sorry for what's happened. We're going to help you through this -" Roberto began, but Orchid then looked up, to glare at him. Roberto was so surprised he took an actual step back.

"Don't start treating me like some stupid kid. I can look after myself." She muttered. Sophia and Roberto would've scolded her for her attitude, but couldn't bring themselves to. Instead, they sighed, and sat down on the edge of the counter. But then there was a gentle tap on the door - too light to be human.

Tiago came into the room, his talons silent on the hard floor. Roberto and Sophia looked down at him, surprised by his unexpected arrival. A white bundle was looped on a vine around his neck, and he looked nervous. "Hi." He greeted Roberto and Sophia, with a respectful nod. They exchanged glances.

"Hey, Tiago." Sophia said, in surprise. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay... but I know she isn't." He spoke in a low voice, so that Orchid wouldn't hear, but he underestimated her hearing.

"I can hear you, you know." Orchid muttered again. Tiago frowned - she sounded so different. More hostile. _I hope this will help her... she's changed so much._

"Look, Orchid, I know I've been gone for almost a week... but it was worth it. I went to Manaus, and I got you something - something to help for your eye." At this, Orchid turned her head to look at him. Tiago flew up to the counter, while Roberto and Sophia looked on, looking at each other hopefully. He then spotted the cage lock; not seeing a key, he flew up to a reminder board, pulling a paper clip free. He began fiddling with the padlock, trying to figure out how paper clips were supposed to open locks. Finally, after some confusion and guessing, the padlock clicked, and fell to the floor. The door slowly swung open, and Orchid stood up. She looked nervously at the open space - she hadn't flown since losing her eye. Tiago landed on the counter, beside Roberto and Sophia, and unlooped the white bundle from around his neck. He beckoned her over.

Orchid lifted her shaking wings, and hesitantly flew the two wingflaps to the counter, landing a little clumsily. She looked up at him, before looking at the white bundle. Tiago reached into it, pulling out three pieces of fabric and lying them neatly on the counter - a light blue, lilac, and a pale, creamy-yellow. Orchid blinked, and looked up at him in bewilderment.

"I tried to find you a glass eye, or something similar... but I couldn't find one." Tiago looked disappointed in himself. "For now... I think this will do it. Bia sewed away the fraying, so it's kinda like a bandana... you could cover the... the problem over and tie it around the back of your head, under your head feathers. It'll hide it from view it over, make you feel less self-conscious." Tiago felt like he was treading on very thin ice - what if Orchid took his gift the wrong way? _What if she thinks I don't find her attractive any more? She might think I've only done this so that I won't have to look at the damage. _This was Tiago's primary fear. He looked up, expecting her to look offended, but luckily, she didn't look disgusted. Instead, she looked _hopeful - _and touched to the core. The coldness in her single eye had melted away.

"You... you went all the way to_ Manaus _to get me this?" Orchid asked, in surprise. Tiago nodded.

"Which colour do you want to try first?" He asked, indicating to the three colours. Orchid was silent. Slowly, she indicated to the creamy yellow. Tiago nodded, and picked it up, handing it to her. He, Roberto and Sophia held their breaths, waiting.

Orchid looked at the fabric for a long moment, before turning around so that they wouldn't see her damaged face as she undid the bandage. The bandage fell to the counter, and Orchid winced as the area was exposed. She began examining the bandana. It was incredibly soft, with a slight sheen to it - as she looked closer, she noticed a faint floral pattern, which was the same with the lilac and the blue. She covered her eye and healing wounds with it, flinching slightly as it touched the injuries, but she could get used to it. With this in place, Orchid began tying the ends under her head feathers, at the back of her head. It was a little awkward at first, but finally, she finished a knot.

Slowly, Orchid turned around, blinking with her one eye, at her parents and Tiago. "How do I look?" She asked, her heart thudding. Roberto was looking amazed, his wing clasped over his beak, while Sophia's eyes had turned shiny with tears.

"You look amazing." Said Sophia, softly. Orchid's throat tightened as tears threatened, but she managed to keep them away. She looked around hopefully, searching for something to see her reflection in. She was desperate to see. Tiago then reached back into the white bundle, and extracted a shard - a shard of mirror, the one Carla kept in her room - she didn't mind him borrowing it, for Orchid. He held it up to her, so that she could see for herself. His heart was beating almost as fast as Orchid's, as he waited for her reaction. What if she hated it?

Orchid hesitated briefly, almost scared of what it would look like. She closed her eye. _Okay. Be brave._ She shook herself, before finally looking into the mirror. She froze, upon seeing it for the first time. _It_ was gone - hidden under a bandana. It covered all the damage, including the eye socket and the forming scars. It ran in an diagonal line, skimming the top of her cheek bone, and reaching to the top of her forehead. Orchid didn't move at first. Then her wings covered her beak. Her eye became glossy with the beginning of tears, and, eventually, a smile was seen through her wing feathers. _No one will flinch when they see me... I don't feel... scared of it, anymore. Oh, Tiago._

"Oh, my." She said, simply - it was the true voice of Orchid, the musical one Roberto, Sophia, and Tiago recognized. Orchid let her wings drop, and, without hesitation, ran to Tiago, throwing her wings around him. "You're amazing... thank you." Tiago found himself grinning in relief, as he hugged her back. _That's Orchid. _Orchid let him go, and then turned to Roberto and Sophia. She hugged them both at the same time, and Roberto and Sophia held their youngest daughter tightly, both smiling in relief first at each other, and then at Tiago. He carried on smiling, and crossed his wings, feeling proud of himself. His trip had been worthwhile - Orchid was happy. It was still a devastating loss, her eye. But the bandana would help - maybe they would find something like a glass eye, but until then, this would do it. Orchid looked over her shoulder, and gave him another smile - of genuine gratitude.


	48. Sealed with a kiss

The party had gone well into the night. It had been amazing, held in the Blue-and-Gold territory in a gorgeous clearing, hidden in a bunch of particularly flowered trees. The trees had been decorated with fruit and flower-ladden vines, as well as large palm leaves. Tribes had brought fruit and nuts from their own territories, and all these had been placed in multiple large palm-hammocks, so that there had been a great feast. After this, the tribes had all performed their special dances, with the other two joining in or watching. 'Beautiful Creatures', the Red tribe's 'Perlina', and the Blue-and-Gold's 'Warm Sky' had all been done, and for the rest of the celebration, all the tribes had mixed - dancing, chatting, eating leftover fruit.

The best tribe singers had sung; Roberto and Sophia, performing a song, while Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid had gone up to sing lyrics and back-up vocals with their parents. They had inherited their parents' singing gifts, and the entire family, after everything they had gone through, had received phenomenal applause. Carla and Bruno had gone up afterwards, and sung their hearts out. Many other singers from the other tribes had sung their songs too, and by the end, everyone's heads were filled with the inspirational music that had been performed. By the time the celebration had ended, the moon had been halfway into the sky, and the stars had been bright in a cloudless night. Everyone had been exhausted, and most of the tribes had slept in until noon, which was very late for them - Jewel had tried to wake up at normal time, but had been too tired to do so, and Blu hadn't complained, of course, loving a late start like he used to have.

It had been a few days since Orchid had been released - she had been nervous, but she had been welcomed back to the tribe with warmth and joy from every tribemate. In fact, at the celebration the other night, the party had broken into loud applause from everyone as she arrived - Spix's, Red, and Blue-and-Gold. Felipe and Azalea had rushed to greet Orchid - Azalea had been in tears, and they had been thanking her over and over for saving Adele. Adele and Leti too had hurried over to thank Orchid, and she had earned a hug from both because of it.

Sophia had been released a few weeks prior to Orchid, and had recieved a similar hero's welcome. She now carried absolutely no sign of what she had gone through - all wounds, all bruises, gone. But of course Orchid's story was different. She had fallen in love with her new bandanas, the lilac one being her favourite, but it hid a tragic memory. They had sworn to find a fitting glass macaw eye, but for now, Orchid accepted the bandana. The scarring was now present - only two lines, between one and two inches in length, but it still bothered her. Bia had told Orchid ways of getting them to fade - rubbing sand onto the scar tissue to help exfoliate it, and using lemon to lighten it up. Orchid did this twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. The results would show in time - maybe one day she wouldn't have to wear the bandana, if they found her a glass eye.

Orchid found her family's fussing irritating. They often hurried to help her do things, and it made her feel weak and stupid. The message seemed to be getting through, now, a few days on, and they kept their distance when she didn't need them. This was a relief, as Orchid hated having to rely on someone - and most seemed afraid to touch her, as if she were fragile and would shatter like glass. This was so annoying - she was independent and could look after herself.

Today wearing the pale blue bandana, Orchid was doing regular practice - running, dancing, and flying, to try and adjust to her new way of life. So far, everything had run very smoothly. In fact, Orchid swore that the ear on her blind side was better at picking up sound - and it was said that those robbed of a sense had sharpened other senses, and now this seemed to be true. Today, she was flying through a thick group of trees with criss-crossing vines and branches, to improve her coordination.

Orchid was flying surprisingly fast - and well. She rarely bumped into anything now, compared to before, where she frequently didn't see an obstacle on her blind side and flew into it. She had once been afraid and uncomfortable, but now she flew with ease. Orchid was still troubled - and devastated - by her loss. But she would adjust in time - she was just like any other macaw. She was going to be just fine, and now, she was nearing the end of the trees. Orchid finally flew into the open, and felt a sense of achievement and pride. She rushed to meet her family, who waved at the finish line.

Roberto and Sophia leapt up and down, cheering for their daughter, alongside Azure, Isaac, Bromeliad and Tiago. Sophia now looked as healthy as she had ever been - her wing feathers had grown back entirely, and she was back to her feisty, loving self, her eyes regaining their sparkle. Bia was also present, cheering on her friend, at Azure's side. Carla and Bruno were in their club, busy entertaining their loyal party-goers who had flocked back as soon as the club had reopened. The club was bustling, and recieved new attendees everyday. Blu and Jewel, meanwhile, were at home in the ravine. The two lovebirds had never left one another's sides since the battle had ended, and their bond was stronger than ever before. Bia was glad for it - after Jewel had nearly lost her life, she was now strong and there to stay.

"Well done, sis." Isaac's eyes were bright, from where he stood beside Bromeliad. Bia eyed the two. _They're the only ones who haven't got someone._ Bia thought of a male named Gabriel, who liked Bromeliad a lot, and Isaac had no shortage of female admirers. It wouldn't be much longer until they both had someone special. Meanwhile, Orchid was holding wings with Tiago. She grinned at her family members, before giving Tiago a kiss. Roberto coughed, Sophia rolled her eyes in amusement, and Orchid's siblings all laughed. Orchid pulled away from Tiago, and gave them a mischievous grin, before turning and searching for a new challenge.

Azure and Bia watched as Orchid flew excitedly away, followed by Tiago, headed for another cluster of trees. Their family - Bia counted Azure's family as her own, now - proceeded to follow, but Azure took Bia's wing, nodding up to the tree branches above. Roberto, Sophia, Isaac and Bromeliad turned around, waiting for them. "Go ahead, we'll catch up." Azure said, waving. Roberto and Sophia smiled, before turning and following Tiago and Orchid. Bromeliad and Isaac waved back to Azure and Bia, before turning and following Roberto and Sophia.

Bia and Azure flew up to a branch that was some metres away. Bia sat down, snuggling herself under Azure's wing, head resting on his shoulder. Her wing tangled with his, and they tipped their heads up toward the sky. It was nearing the evening, with the sun beginning to fall steadily into the horizon. Birdsong sounded in the surrounding trees, and the sun, while dimming, still caught the Amazon river surface. The sky was blue, but the horizon was turning gold and pink. Bia briefly thought it was all beautiful, before she caught sight of the old Hyacinth territory in the distance, and shivered briefly at those memories.

Patrols had entered the deserted Hyacinth territory to make sure, but they had found no sign of them. The barren land seemed to be recovering - buds were developing, tiny green leaves forming on half-dead trees. Wildlife was returning with the owners' absence, and the cave was empty. The Hyacinths had not regrouped - rather, they had settled into families or small groups. This was what the patrols had observed, anyway - in the unclaimed territory within the sanctuary, the Hyacinths had spread out. The violence had ceased to exist, and the Hyacinths who had always been there, the ones who had never been part of the tribe, had visited Eduardo, Felipe and Johanna to tell them that the old tribe macaws weren't plotting anything. It was severely unlikely, what with them being far apart and without a leader, but the non-tribal Hyacinths promised to keep their ears open, just in case. If the Hyacinths plotted vengeance, they would be ready and prepared.

"You think Orchid will be alright?" Azure asked, his cheek resting on Bia's head. Bia turned her gaze, gazing toward the trees Orchid and Tiago had headed to. The pair were flying into the trees now, their laughter heard from Bia and Azure's position. Roberto and Sophia had landed on a branch, and the latter was leaning on her mate, who had a wing around her. Isaac and Bromeliad were craning their necks, trying to seek out Orchid and Tiago in the trees. Bia knew the answer to Azure's question.

"Of course she will. She's brave, and has her family. And don't forget Tiago." Bia couldn't believe how far her little brother had come - he had gone from immature and reckless to thoughtful and a loving soulmate to Orchid. Of course he was still the most mischievous bird she knew. There was probably a prank awaiting somebody at home. Carla and Bruno's future was also bright - Carla had let go of her fears and hesitation at long last, and now the two club owners were in a relationship. Bia was so happy for the both of them, and she knew Bruno was delighted too. They were actually close to the club Kapok - she could see it through the trees - and the sound of Carla and Bruno's singing voices was heard. "I think it's safe to say that everything's going to be alright, now."

"Yes... it really is." Azure agreed. Bia knew it was - her whole family was safe. Eduardo and Mimi were safe from Kerja's rage, now that Kerja was well and truly gone. Her parents were together, and Jewel wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. The tribes were all at peace, and the Hyacinth tribe was no more. Azure then began smiling. "You know... this is the tree we had our very first kiss in. Do you remember?"

"How could I forget that?" Bia's heart warmed at the memory - back then, Bromeliad had deeply upset her and Bia had fled into the jungle in tears. Azure had come to find her, had comforted her. It was hard to believe that Bia had once hated his sister - now, they were the best of friends. _I truly do have great friends. Carla and Tiago, Bromeliad, Isaac, Bruno, Orchid... and him. _She turned to Azure, her wingtips reaching up and framing his face. Azure covered her left wing with his, holding her wing to his cheek. "I love you, you know... you really don't know how much." Bia wasn't at all embarrassed to say it. It was the truth. Of course there were those out there who thought finding love young was silly, wouldn't last. But this just wasn't the truth. She had found genuine love, and Bia had never felt more certain of anything in her entire life. Azure smiled.

"How about a kiss to seal that last sentence?" Azure had meant it as a joke at first, but then he realized just how good an idea that was. Looking at Bia now, Azure felt a warm feeling spreading through his heart. It was something he felt everytime he saw her face or heard her voice, but now, it was warmer than ever. He loved Bia so much, more than anyone. She was beautiful - her hazel eyes that shone with intelligence, her smile, her silk for feathers, but this wasn't the only thing that made her beautiful to him. She was beautiful on the inside - her spirit, her kind, brave heart.

"I think you know the answer." Bia leaned toward Azure, and touched her beak to his. They had risked so much for each other, almost died along the way. But they wouldn't change a thing. They were, and always would be in love - it was evergreen, and it would never fade. After a few moments, she pulled away from Azure, and allowed him to envelope her in his wings. She rested her cheek on his chest, and closed her eyes. Bia was truly happy - and always would be happy - in Azure's embrace.

**_And, finally - The Estrella is finished. It took almost eight months, but at last, it's reached it's end. It was so time-consuming, often difficult to write, and I'm exhausted, but I'm fairly happy with the result - I think this was a successful sequel, and I prefer this to it's predecessor. I_****_ had initially planned an epilogue to finish this off, but I couldn't quite find enough words to fill out my 2000-words-minimum-chapter routine. But I'll let you know that it would have shown Bia and Azure three years on, departing on a solo travelling trip together, around Brazil and Venezuela. All the teenaged characters - Bia, Carla, Tiago, Azure, Bruno, Orchid, Bromeliad, Isaac - they're all young adults now._**

**_Now, I have a few things I'd like to express: firstly, this will be the only major sequel to The Outcast. As much a I'd love to do a third, a third major one might spoil it, as I can't think of anything to top this one off. However, since I adore Bia and Azure so much, I am planning a spin-off for them - set four _****_years after The Estrella, it's not set in the Amazon - but I can promise that Bia and Azure won't be on their own. While their families and friends are back home, they'll be joined by the city characters - and a few new characters I'm super excited to introduce. _**

**_I won't give you all a glimpse of the main plot just yet, but I'm hoping to have it on the website by sometime next year. I need to figure some more things out, how it's going to flow, etc. I have several Rio and non-Rio stories - five, at the moment - in mind before my spin-off, but I may start the spin-off between one of these five stories._**

**_If you have any questions about this story, do contact me! And I'd just love to thank you all for everything - your patience, encouragement, advice, and, of course, the phenomenal support. I can't believe the review number - I never expected it to grow that high, and I can't thank you all enough for it! Anyway, thank you all once again, and I'll see you soon with the rewrite of 'Roberto's Nightmare' - bye!_**


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